Servers, storage, and virtualization have traditionally been managed as separate parts of the data center. Hyperconverged infrastructure takes a different approach, combining those resources within a software-defined platform. For organizations replacing aging infrastructure or planning for future capacity, HCI can offer a simpler way to manage the environment and expand it over time.
What is Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)?
Hyperconverged infrastructure is an architecture that combines compute, storage, networking, virtualization, and management within an integrated system. Instead of managing many of these resources through separate hardware platforms and tools, HCI pools them together and controls them largely through software.
Most HCI environments are built from individual servers, often called nodes, which work together as a cluster. Each node contributes processing power and storage capacity to the larger environment. Virtualization software then allows those resources to be shared across workloads
How Does Hyperconverged Infrastructure Work?
A hyperconverged infrastructure platform uses software to abstract physical resources from the hardware underneath them. Instead of requiring administrators to manage each server or storage device independently, the platform creates pools of resources that workloads can use as needed.
Several components work together within this model:
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Compute and virtualization: Servers in the HCI cluster provide the processing power and memory needed to run virtual machines and applications. A hypervisor or virtualization layer allocates those resources across workloads.
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Software-defined storage: Storage within the individual nodes is pooled through software and presented as shared capacity for the cluster.
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Networking: Network connectivity allows nodes, workloads, and storage resources to communicate across the environment.
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Centralized management: A common management layer gives IT teams one place to monitor resources, provision workloads, review capacity, and handle routine infrastructure tasks.
Traditional Infrastructure vs. Hyperconverged Infrastructure
Traditional data center architecture often separates compute and storage into distinct systems, each with its own hardware and management tools. HCI brings those resources together within a software-defined platform.
Some of the key differences include:
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Management: Traditional environments may rely on separate tools for servers, storage, and virtualization, while HCI brings more of that work into one platform.
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Deployment: HCI can reduce some of the integration work required when adding new infrastructure.
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Scaling: Traditional architectures may allow individual components to be expanded separately, while HCI commonly grows by adding nodes to the cluster.
Converged vs. Hyperconverged Infrastructure
The terms converged and hyperconverged sound similar, but the architectures are different.
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Converged infrastructure packages servers, networking, storage, and management components into a pre-integrated system. The components are designed to work together, but they remain distinct pieces of infrastructure.
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Hyperconverged infrastructure moves more of those functions into software. Compute and storage resources are pooled across a cluster, with much of the environment managed through a common platform.
Both approaches can simplify deployment, but HCI generally takes the integration further by reducing dependence on separately managed storage and compute systems.
Benefits of Hyperconverged Infrastructure
HCI changes how core infrastructure is managed by bringing more of the environment into a single platform. For IT teams, that can mean less time spent coordinating separate systems and more flexibility when capacity needs change.
Some of the primary advantages of hyperconverged infrastructure include:
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Simpler management: Centralized administration can reduce the number of systems teams need to manage separately, supporting a more coordinated approach to IT infrastructure management.
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Streamlined lifecycle maintenance: Some HCI platforms can simplify software and firmware updates across the infrastructure stack, reducing the need to manage updates separately for different components.
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Easier scaling: Organizations can generally add nodes as capacity requirements grow.
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Faster deployment: Integrated compute, storage, and virtualization can reduce the work involved in configuring separate infrastructure layers.
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Better resource utilization: Pooled resources can be allocated across workloads based on current needs.
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Less infrastructure complexity: HCI can reduce the number of separate platforms and hardware systems that require ongoing administration.
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Potential cost efficiencies: Savings may come from reduced administration, hardware consolidation, data center space, power, or cooling. Organizations should still evaluate licensing, support, and future expansion costs before assuming HCI will be less expensive.
Is hyperconverged infrastructure the right fit for your next upgrade?Talk with Quest about performance and scaling tradeoffs.Talk to an expert
Common Hyperconverged Infrastructure Use Cases
HCI is used across a wide range of environments, but some workloads are especially well suited to its architecture.
Virtualized Workloads
Organizations running large numbers of virtual machines are a natural fit for HCI. Compute and storage resources can be shared across the cluster, making it easier to provision and manage virtual workloads from a central platform.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
Virtual desktop infrastructure can create changing demands for compute and storage as users are added or workloads shift. HCI offers a way to expand the environment gradually while keeping infrastructure management centralized.
Remote and Branch Offices
Remote locations often need local infrastructure without the resources of a full data center team. HCI can reduce the number of individual systems that must be maintained at each site while allowing much of the environment to be managed centrally.
Disaster Recovery
HCI can also support secondary sites used for disaster recovery. Depending on the platform, organizations may be able to replicate workloads and data between clusters and bring systems online at another location when needed.
Edge Computing
Some organizations need processing and storage close to where data is generated, whether it be at manufacturing sites, retail locations, healthcare facilities, or other distributed environments. Compact HCI deployments can provide local infrastructure while still allowing centralized oversight.
Data Center Consolidation
A hardware refresh can be an opportunity to reduce the number of separate infrastructure platforms already in place. Organizations may use HCI to consolidate servers and storage as older equipment reaches the end of its useful life.
When Does HCI Make Sense for an Organization?
HCI may work well when an organization is replacing aging infrastructure, expanding virtualized workloads, or simplifying the various systems IT teams need to manage. For organizations taking a broader look at IT infrastructure solutions, HCI may be one option within a larger modernization strategy.
- Common reasons for considering a move to HCI include:
- IT teams spend significant time managing separate compute and storage systems.
- Virtualized workloads are growing and additional capacity will be needed.
- The organization wants to expand infrastructure in smaller increments.
- Remote or edge sites need reliable infrastructure without extensive on-site administration.
- Aging hardware is approaching replacement.
- Data center consolidation is already part of the infrastructure roadmap.
Workload requirements still need to drive the decision. Some applications may require dedicated storage, specialized hardware, or performance characteristics that do not align well with HCI.
HCI is not always the best fit when compute and storage needs grow at very different rates. Because many HCI systems expand by adding nodes that include both resources, organizations with uneven growth patterns may need a more flexible architecture.
What Should you Look for in an HCI Solution?
Evaluating an HCI solution should begin with careful consideration of the applications and systems the platform will need to support.
Think about:
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Workload support: Confirm that the platform can meet performance, capacity, and availability requirements for the applications involved.
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Scalability: Understand how nodes are added, what resources expand with them, and whether the architecture can accommodate expected growth.
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Resilience: Review how the platform manages hardware failures, data protection, redundancy, maintenance, and access controls. Centralized infrastructure can simplify management, but it still needs appropriate security policies and protections around administrative access.
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Management: Look closely at the tools administrators will use for monitoring, provisioning, updates, and troubleshooting.
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Existing environment: Consider how the platform will integrate with current virtualization, networking, backup, and security technologies, as well as what will be required to migrate existing workloads.
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Long-term costs: Factor in licensing, support, hardware refreshes, expansion, and operational requirements rather than focusing only on the initial purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hyperconverged Infrastructure
Can HCI be used with hybrid cloud?
Yes. HCI can provide an on-premises or private-cloud infrastructure layer while connecting with public cloud services. The available integrations and management options depend on the HCI platform.
Does HCI replace traditional storage?
Hyperconverged infrastructure often replaces separate shared storage for workloads hosted within the HCI cluster. Dedicated storage may still be appropriate for applications with specific capacity, performance, or architecture requirements.
Is HCI the same as private cloud?
No. HCI is an infrastructure architecture, while private cloud describes a cloud operating model dedicated to one organization. HCI can be used as the underlying infrastructure for a private cloud, but the terms are not interchangeable.
Simplify Your Next Infrastructure Upgrade
HCI can give IT teams a simpler way to manage core infrastructure, reduce reliance on separate systems, and expand capacity without rebuilding the environment from the ground up. It can be a good solution for organizations modernizing virtualized workloads or replacing aging hardware, but the decision still needs to reflect the performance and future capacity demands of the environment.
For organizations planning a data center refresh, Quest can bring the infrastructure expertise needed to evaluate HCI alongside other options. If you’re considering what should come next for your environment, we’re ready to talk through it with you. How can we help?
Have more AIOps questions? As always, feel free to contact us anytime—we’re happy to help.
