Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) has many benefits; it can help your business simplify management, streamline processes, and maintain flexibility across your IT infrastructure. Many businesses find that it offers the same advantages of a cloud solution, but without the costs and reliance on significant network architecture, and allows more flexibility than traditional converged infrastructure architecture.
Let’s explore an in-depth list of the key benefits of hyperconverged infrastructure.
1. Simplified Management
HCI streamlines the IT management process by integrating computing, storage, and networking into a single system. This consolidated setup allows for management from one interface, reducing the demand for specialized IT skills and minimizing the need for complex administrative tasks.
Additionally, a consolidated approach avoids having to use multiple components from different vendors – further simplifying the management process.
2. Easy Scalability
HCI is straightforward to scale. Businesses can quickly add additional features, like nodes that enable high availability within short time frames, rather than waiting weeks or months. This fast and flexible approach enables businesses to expand IT infrastructure with minimal disruption or downtime.
3. Cost Savings
By consolidating computing, storage, and networking into one system, HCI lowers both capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX). Most of the time, HCI only requires standard x86 servers that meet IT requirements, reducing costs further. Fewer components also mean reduced power and cooling needs.
For small/medium businesses or edge environments, these types of cost savings are extremely beneficial. HCI is an affordable and perfect-fit solution for these types of environments that likely need flexibility and cost-efficiency.
4. Data And Storage Efficiency
HCI uses data locality, which keeps data close to the computing resources that use it. This setup minimizes latency and boosts efficiency. It also can include features like deduplication, compression, and caching.
Additionally, it maximizes resource efficiency by allocating resources based on workload demands, and this approach can ensure better overall performance.
5. Increased Reliability
HCI can spread data across multiple nodes to aid redundancy and data security. This setup allows for robust disaster recovery options, ensuring maintenance of business operations without disruptions – if something were to go wrong!
Additionally, different HCI software options will offer different types of backup capabilities. You can choose between agent vs agentless backup, for example.
6. Straightforward Deployment
With pre-configured hardware and software, HCI comes with quick and remote deployment options. It can get up and running in a very short amount of time, in some cases in less than an hour, which accelerates the time to value.
7. Flexibility
Hyperconverged infrastructure supports a wide array of use cases, making it adaptable to various applications and IT needs. From enterprise edge to remote and branch offices (ROBOs) or SMBs, this flexibility makes HCI a great choice for a wide range of businesses.
The right hyperconverged infrastructure vendor will be open to hearing your unique needs. They’ll help you deploy a solution that’s purpose-built for your exact requirements without compromising performance or functionality.
8. Built-in Security
HCI can be integrated with data protection features, such as backup, disaster recovery, and data encryption. With HCI, the data encryption functionality uses a fully software-based approach. This eliminates the need for complex and expensive specialized hardware or operating system-level solutions. As standard, ensure that your chosen HCI software complies with FIPS 140-2 standards, a recognized security requirement.
9. Reduced Vendor Lock-in
Some HCI software offers greater choice of hardware and software options, reducing reliance on a single vendor. This flexibility enables companies to select the best components that meet their specific needs, avoiding vendor lock-in constraints. This is especially useful for SMBs or edge environments, where vendor lock-in can generate unnecessary costs – instead of only paying for what’s needed.
10. Compatibility
HCI software is compatible with a lot of well-known software and hardware. This helps you avoid costly migrations or hardware replacements. It can work with existing operating systems and applications and integrates seamlessly with a lot of common IT infrastructure. In some cases, the ability to run legacy applications alongside HCI is crucial, making it an ideal solution.
Hyperconverged Infrastructure is Packed with Benefits
The right HCI software will be purpose-built, dependable, and cost-effective for your business. If you’re looking for a flexible solution to solve your IT infrastructure problems, choose a HCI vendor that offers a lightweight, simple to deploy, and easy to manage solution. Remember, it’s possible to rapidly implement HCI software, but you need a vendor that can provide the right expertise to do so. So don’t forget to look for a dedicated, experienced vendor when making your choice!
