Hyper-converged infrastructure: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 16:25, 16 February 2025

Hyper-converged Infrastructure[edit]

Diagram illustrating hyper-converged infrastructure components.

Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) is an IT framework that combines storage, computing, and networking into a single system in an effort to reduce data center complexity and increase scalability. HCI platforms typically run on commercial off-the-shelf servers and are designed to be managed as a single system through a common toolset.

Components[edit]

Hyper-converged infrastructure integrates several components:

Compute: The computing resources are provided by x86 servers that run virtual machines (VMs) or containers.
Storage: Storage resources are pooled across the nodes in the cluster, often using software-defined storage (SDS) technology.
Networking: Networking is virtualized and managed through software, allowing for flexible and scalable network configurations.

Benefits[edit]

HCI offers several benefits over traditional data center architectures:

Simplified Management: By integrating compute, storage, and networking, HCI reduces the complexity of managing separate systems.
Scalability: HCI systems can be easily scaled by adding more nodes to the cluster.
Cost Efficiency: Using commodity hardware and reducing the need for specialized IT staff can lower costs.

Use Cases[edit]

Hyper-converged infrastructure is used in various scenarios, including:

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): HCI is well-suited for VDI deployments due to its scalability and performance.
Data Center Consolidation: Organizations can consolidate their data center resources into a single HCI platform.
Edge Computing: HCI can be deployed at the edge to provide compute and storage resources close to where data is generated.

Challenges[edit]

While HCI offers many advantages, there are also challenges to consider:

Vendor Lock-in: Some HCI solutions may lock customers into a specific vendor's ecosystem.
Initial Costs: The initial investment in HCI can be significant, although it may lead to cost savings over time.
Performance: Ensuring consistent performance across all components can be challenging, especially in large deployments.

Related Pages[edit]

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-'''Hyper-converged infrastructure''' (HCI) is a software-defined, unified system that combines all the elements of a traditional [[data center]]: storage, computing, networking, and management. This integration helps to simplify the data center's operations and reduces the physical hardware footprint, potentially leading to cost savings and increased efficiency. HCI platforms run on [[commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)]] hardware, leveraging a [[virtualized computing]] environment to provide flexible and scalable resources.
+== Hyper-converged Infrastructure ==
-==Overview==
+[[File:Hyperconvergence.jpg|thumb|right|Diagram illustrating hyper-converged infrastructure components.]]
-Hyper-converged infrastructure is a step beyond [[converged infrastructure]] where the components are tightly integrated but still distinct. In HCI, the integration is at the software level, allowing for more flexibility and scalability. The core components of an HCI system include:
-* '''Virtualized Computing''' ([[Hypervisor]]): A software layer that allows multiple operating systems to share a single hardware host.
+'''Hyper-converged infrastructure''' (HCI) is an IT framework that combines storage, computing, and networking into a single system in an effort to reduce data center complexity and increase scalability. HCI platforms typically run on commercial off-the-shelf servers and are designed to be managed as a single system through a common toolset.
-* '''Software-Defined Storage''' (SDS): Storage resources are pooled from the underlying hardware and managed through software.
-* '''Virtualized Networking''': Network resources are abstracted and managed software, allowing for dynamic connectivity and bandwidth allocation.
-* '''Management Software''': Tools that provide a single pane of glass for managing all resources in the HCI stack.
-==Benefits==
+== Components ==
-The benefits of hyper-converged infrastructure include:
-* '''Simplicity''': By consolidating resources and management, HCI can reduce the complexity of the data center.
+Hyper-converged infrastructure integrates several components:
-* '''Scalability''': Resources can be added or removed as needed without significant downtime or reconfiguration.
-* '''Cost Efficiency''': Reduced physical hardware and operational efficiencies can lead to lower costs.
-* '''Improved Performance''': With resources closely integrated and optimized, performance can be enhanced, especially for workloads that require high I/O throughput.
-* '''Resilience''': HCI often includes built-in redundancy and disaster recovery features.
-==Use Cases==
+* '''[[Compute]]''': The computing resources are provided by x86 servers that run virtual machines (VMs) or containers.
-Hyper-converged infrastructure is well-suited for a variety of applications, including:
+* '''[[Storage]]''': Storage resources are pooled across the nodes in the cluster, often using software-defined storage (SDS) technology.
+* '''[[Networking]]''': Networking is virtualized and managed through software, allowing for flexible and scalable network configurations.
-* '''Virtual Desktop Infrastructure''' ([[Virtual Desktop Infrastructure|VDI]]): HCI can provide the performance and scalability needed for large VDI deployments.
+== Benefits ==
-* '''Remote Office/Branch Office''' ([[ROBO]]): HCI's simplicity and ease of management make it ideal for remote locations.
-* '''Data Center Consolidation''': Organizations looking to consolidate their data centers can benefit from HCI's efficiency and reduced footprint.
-* '''Edge Computing''': HCI can be deployed at the edge of the network, where space and resources are limited.
-==Challenges==
+HCI offers several benefits over traditional data center architectures:
-While HCI offers many benefits, there are also challenges to consider:
-* '''Vendor Lock-in''': Since HCI solutions are often proprietary, there can be a risk of vendor lock-in.
+* '''Simplified Management''': By integrating compute, storage, and networking, HCI reduces the complexity of managing separate systems.
-* '''Scalability Limits''': While HCI is scalable, there may be practical limits based on the underlying hardware or software architecture.
+* '''Scalability''': HCI systems can be easily scaled by adding more nodes to the cluster.
-* '''Cost at Scale''': Initial cost benefits may diminish as deployments scale up, particularly if the cost of additional nodes is high.
+* '''Cost Efficiency''': Using commodity hardware and reducing the need for specialized IT staff can lower costs.
-==Future Directions==
+== Use Cases ==
-The future of hyper-converged infrastructure is likely to see further integration with [[cloud computing]] services, offering hybrid solutions that can leverage both on-premises HCI and cloud resources. Advances in [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) and [[machine learning]] (ML) may also enhance the management and optimization of HCI environments.
-[[Category:Computer architecture]]
+Hyper-converged infrastructure is used in various scenarios, including:
-[[Category:Data centers]]
-{{Comp-sci-stub}}
-==See Also==
+* '''[[Virtual Desktop Infrastructure]] (VDI)''': HCI is well-suited for VDI deployments due to its scalability and performance.
-* [[Cloud Computing]]
+* '''[[Data Center]] Consolidation''': Organizations can consolidate their data center resources into a single HCI platform.
+* '''[[Edge Computing]]''': HCI can be deployed at the edge to provide compute and storage resources close to where data is generated.
+== Challenges ==
+While HCI offers many advantages, there are also challenges to consider:
+* '''Vendor Lock-in''': Some HCI solutions may lock customers into a specific vendor's ecosystem.
+* '''Initial Costs''': The initial investment in HCI can be significant, although it may lead to cost savings over time.
+* '''Performance''': Ensuring consistent performance across all components can be challenging, especially in large deployments.
+== Related Pages ==
+* [[Software-defined storage]]
 * [[Virtualization]]
-* [[Software-Defined Networking (SDN)]]
+* [[Cloud computing]]
-* [[Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC)]]
+* [[Data center]]
-==References==
-<references/>
-==External Links==
+{{Technology}}
-* [https://www.vmware.com/topics/glossary/content/hyper-converged-infrastructure.html VMware Hyper-Converged Infrastructure]
-* [https://www.nutanix.com/info/hyperconverged-infrastructure Nutanix Hyper-Converged Infrastructure]
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyper-Converged Infrastructure}}
+[[Category:Information technology]]
-{{Information technology}}
+[[Category:Data management]]
-{{Networking hardware}}
-{{Computer networking}}
-{{Computer storage}}
-{{medicine-stub}}