What is hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI)?
Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) is a software-defined, unified system that combines server, storage resources, networking components, and management software. It combines traditional IT hardware into a unified platform powered by a software layer.
Hyperconverged infrastructure converges the entire single data infrastructure components, which include server, storage, networking, and virtualization. HCI acts as an individual, distributed platform running on standard servers that can scale and support flexibility as required.
The management and distribution of all the operating functions within the server cluster are controlled by a software layer running across multiple server nodes. Having software to act as a control layer helps improve performance and build IT infrastructure resilience.
Benefits of using hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI)
The following list provides the benefits of using HCI:
- Lower costs: There is a lower cost involved in deploying HCI. A company does not need to spend on server, storage infrastructure, networking, and management capabilities separately. They only need to purchase the HCI systems, which combine all these hardware.
- Single pane of view: HCI solutions support a management pane that the user can use to view and control all HCI sources from a single control panel. Using a single pane of view allows the user or admin to manage and monitor servers, storage, networks, and virtualization, and there is no need for separate management tools and software.
- Improved IT efficiency: In an HCI solution, IT components are not in silos but are consolidated under a single hypervisor software layer. This eliminates any need for processing each component separately. As a result, there is no latency in communication between different components, driving a higher IT efficiency.
- Virtualization: Virtual desktops, virtual servers, and virtual environments are key use cases of HCI solutions because of virtualization. Virtualization is used for high-performance sensitive applications where there is a need to deploy hardware.
- Faster deployment times: An HCI solution allows IT infrastructure plans to be deployed within minutes. Teams can immediately work on applications and workloads rather than spend time figuring out how to install IT infrastructure and face several technical challenges. HCI systems also support infrastructure automation to ensure smooth, consistent operations.
- Improved productivity: HCI is a self-healing solution. Upgrades can be done via a single click or remotely, and there is no need to physically visit the data center to resolve any hardware issues.
- Reduces complexity: Although HCI primarily focuses on the convergence of server, storage, and networking, there are numerous other hardware and software components that add complexity to the environment. These include cables, hypervisors, server frame and cabinets, network server racks, server enclosures, and others. Since HCI is a single-point offering, it helps to consolidate the data center by reducing its footprint.
- Helps shift focus toward business priorities: Organizations can focus on other business priorities when they have a solid, self-healing IT infrastructure in place. HCI helps to shift the focus off infrastructure and on using the infrastructure. This could include tasks such as automating applications, deploying methodologies to improve workload processing, and several other value-added activities.
Basic elements of hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI)
An HCI solution converges the entire single data infrastructure components, which includes server, storage, networking, and virtualization. Some of the basic elements of an HCI include:
- Server CPU: An application or workload uses a server CPU to compute or process information.
- Storage: Data is stored in a conventional storage offering. Flexible storage options help to replace any need for dedicated storage hardware.
- Networking capabilities: Networking systems manage the communication between all components in the IT infrastructure realm.
- Hypervisor software layer: The overall combination of server, storage, and network is powered by a software layer. The hypervisor helps in administering the elements and also controls the virtual machines being run.
With HCI, servers and storage resources are combined within a distributed infrastructure platform.
Best practices of using hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI)
Some of the best practices of using HCI are as follows:
- Understanding the workload: Before adopting HCI systems in a company’s data center, it is a best practice to understand the workloads that would run on these systems. Careful planning of the organization's needs would help in the easy deployment of HCI and ensure maximum utilization and efficiency.
- Pilot projects: When taking on the design and deployment of HCI into a company’s IT environment, it is always a good approach to run smaller pilot projects instead of a complete deployment. The pilot project would help the company understand how the HCI is performing and most importantly if it is helping to achieve the overarching IT strategy of the firm.
- Inclusion of automation: Using automation features when deploying an HCI software is a great best practice to incorporate. Automation is incorporated in the provisioning and maintenance of all the resources being utilized.
Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) vs. converged infrastructure (CI)
Converged infrastructure (CI) is a pre-packaged bundle of the main elements—server, storage, and networking elements. The main difference between HCI and CI is that the latter is built on the same IT hardware components and is usually pre-integrated by a vendor. In contrast, HCI systems are built from scratch, and components cannot be separated since the elements are software defined. These software capabilities allow IT infrastructure to scale and be flexible as required by growing workloads.
Preethica Furtado
Preethica is a Market Research Manager and Senior Market Research Analyst at G2 focused on the data and cloud management space. Prior to joining G2, Preethica spent three years in market research for enterprise systems, cloud forecasting, and workstations. She has written research reports for both the semiconductor and telecommunication industries. Her interest in technology led her to combine that with building a challenging career. She enjoys reading, writing blogs and poems, and traveling in her free time.
