Converged infrastructure management
Converged infrastructure represents a bundling of various data center systems -- such as storage, networking and servers -- that organizations can purchase all at once from a single supplier. Explore converged infrastructure management options such as DCIM, hybrid cloud and different management software to keep converged infrastructures running smoothly.
Top Stories
-
Guest Post
09 Jun 2023
The networking imperative for AI applications
Networking is vital to support the requirements of AI applications. Technologies such as smartNICs and RDMA can improve efficiency and scalability. Continue Reading
-
News
22 Mar 2022
FlexPod XCS brings cloud capabilities to data centers
FlexPod XCS, the latest NetApp and Cisco converged infrastructure appliance, expands support for hybrid cloud environments with hyperscaler integrations. Continue Reading
-
News
08 May 2019
With Nutanix Mine, HCI vet adds converged secondary storage
Nutanix prepares to launch its Mine converged secondary storage appliances as it expands beyond primary storage with an architecture that Cohesity and Rubrik have adopted. Continue Reading
-
Opinion
08 May 2019
Hyper-converged technology ready for next step, multi-cloud
The height of the next hyper-converged infrastructure wave will revolve more around finding the right use cases rather than the right technology and architecture. Continue Reading
- 08 May 2019
-
News
30 Apr 2019
New NEC hyper-converged infrastructure appliance targets SMBs
NEC partners with Scale Computing to launch its first hyper-converged infrastructure appliance tailored to SMBs and remote offices in the U.S. and Europe. Continue Reading
-
News
30 Apr 2019
Dell EMC VxRail at heart of vendor's cloud strategy
Dell EMC wants to turn its hyper-converged infrastructure market-leading VxRail appliance into the leading hybrid cloud building block with the help of VMware Cloud Foundation. Continue Reading
-
Answer
25 Apr 2019
Why is composable infrastructure important and what are its uses?
The ideal function of composability is to make IT infrastructure more flexible, manageable and scalable than ever. It isn't for everyone, however; at least, not yet. Continue Reading
-
Feature
22 Apr 2019
Why composable infrastructure goes hand in hand with private cloud
Some companies are opting out of SAN upgrades or costly converged systems in favor of composable architecture to build servers and storage on the fly. But will the concept take off? Continue Reading
-
Tip
15 Apr 2019
Yes, pertinent, cost-effective hyper-converged platforms for SMBs exist
Why the simplicity and potential cost savings of a hyper-converged infrastructure from the likes of DataCore, Scale Computing and StarWind may be the way to go for some SMBs. Continue Reading
-
News
09 Apr 2019
HPE-Nutanix deal expands roster of hyper-converged options
The Hewlett Packard Enterprise-Nutanix partnership sprang up on two fronts, bringing more layers of coopetition to the world of HCI. But where does this leave HPE SimpliVity? Continue Reading
-
Tip
08 Apr 2019
A guide to hyper-converged data resiliency options and requirements
What you need to find out from HCI vendors to architect a resilient hyper-converged environment that will protect data against failure, error and attack. Continue Reading
-
Tip
28 Mar 2019
4 essential composable infrastructure questions answered
Learn how composable IT works, and find out when this highly flexible, programmable infrastructure model makes sense for your servers, network, and storage and when it doesn't. Continue Reading
-
News
20 Mar 2019
Dell EMC VxBlock 1000 mixes in Unity hybrid, Data Domain
Ten years later, VCE is gone, EMC is part of Dell and Vblocks have become VxBlocks. But the early converged infrastructure stack is still going, with new products coming online. Continue Reading
-
Answer
15 Mar 2019
What is HPE SimpliVity hyper-converged with Composable Fabric?
SimpliVity with Composable Fabric incorporates HPE's software-defined networking technology for implementing, managing and automating a fully connected and composable mesh fabric. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Mar 2019
Startup gives Datrium DVX subscription pricing
With Datrium Forward, the software-defined storage startup looks to deliver a 'cloudy feel' to pricing for its DVX storage that spans on premises and in Amazon Web Services. Continue Reading
-
Answer
11 Mar 2019
Is HCI but a stop on the road to composable architecture?
Find out if composable infrastructure is the next step in the evolution of HCI, if it is a completely different type of IT infrastructure or if the truth is somewhere in between. Continue Reading
-
Answer
06 Mar 2019
The pros and cons of hyper-converged flash storage
Find out why and for what use cases and application workloads 100% solid-state flash may not be the best storage choice for hyper-converged infrastructure. Continue Reading
-
News
04 Mar 2019
Nutanix HCI position under fire due to sales slump
Nutanix CEO says HCI sales slowdown is temporary because its technology remains strong; in the meantime, Dell-VMware is pushing HCI deeper into the enterprise. Continue Reading
-
Feature
01 Mar 2019
Essential hyper-converged cloud questions answered
Hyper-convergence can help make taking a cloud or multi-cloud approach to your architecture easier to implement, manage and scale. Read on to find out how and why. Continue Reading
-
Tip
22 Feb 2019
Hyper-converged integrated systems crucial to long-term HCI success
No HCI platform exists in a silo. Learn why hyper-converged systems must communicate, interact and integrate with third-party management tools and the wider IT infrastructure. Continue Reading
-
Feature
15 Feb 2019
The hyper-converged network benefits from commingling HCI, SDN
Merging software-defined networking with hyper-converged infrastructure platforms should simplify and ease the deployment, scaling and management of hyper-converged networks. Continue Reading
-
Tip
07 Feb 2019
Hyper-converged cloud key to private cloud success
Granular scaling and rapid deployment help make hyper-converged infrastructure the ideal platform for building out, deploying and scaling out a private cloud. Continue Reading
-
News
05 Feb 2019
HCI software maker Maxta shuts down after funding failure
Maxta tried to carve a niche in hyper-converged infrastructure with MxSP software for industry-standard x86 servers -- the business model HCI pioneer Nutanix shifted to in 2018. Continue Reading
-
Feature
23 Jan 2019
10 top tips to maximize hyper-converged infrastructure benefits
The most-read hyper-converged tips of the past year represent a range of best practices for procuring and implementing HCI as all or part of your overall data center architecture. Continue Reading
-
News
16 Jan 2019
Datera storage software trains for long run on HPE servers
Hewlett Packard Enterprise and startup Datera combine on block-storage appliances and expect to compete against Dell EMC's ScaleIO-based VxRack Flex hyper-converged systems. Continue Reading
-
Feature
10 Jan 2019
Hyper-converged infrastructure vendors adapt to AI workloads
Hyper-converged infrastructure evolves to accommodate the increasing demands of resource-hungry AI workloads. AI, in turn, promises to improve management of HCI and non-HCI resources. Continue Reading
-
News
03 Jan 2019
Detroit Symphony tunes up performance on Scale Computing HC3
The nonprofit Detroit Symphony Orchestra refreshed its data infrastructure with a three-node Scale Computing HC3 hyper-converged storage cluster to manage 10 TB of data. Continue Reading
-
News
12 Dec 2018
Amarillo hyper-converges IT with Dell EMC VxRail appliances
Hyper-convergence cut costs, streamlined operations and set up Amarillo to use the cloud for storage tiers, while shifting resources away from managing infrastructure. Continue Reading
-
Feature
03 Dec 2018
HPE SimpliVity hyper-converged FAQs get answered
When HPE bought SimpliVity in 2017, it raised questions about the two company's HCI products, even though they were existing partners. We answer some of those questions. Continue Reading
-
Buyer's Guide
29 Nov 2018
What you need to know before buying hyper-converged technology
Learn how to determine your organization's need for hyper-converged infrastructure and to evaluate offerings from top HCI vendors to find the right fit. Continue Reading
-
Tip
29 Nov 2018
Weighing open converged infrastructure against composable
OCI and composable infrastructure are both touted as the latest in convergence, but it is important to know how they differ before making an IT buying decision. Continue Reading
-
News
08 Nov 2018
Dell EMC VxRail HCI builds on VMware Cloud Foundation
Dell EMC builds on VMware Cloud Foundation and plans to offer a new two-node VxRail entry point, with a flexible VMware vSAN license. Dell EMC also adds VMware integration to VxBlock. Continue Reading
-
News
29 Oct 2018
NetApp HCI aimed at hybrid clouds
Late to HCI, NetApp tries to play catch up against Dell EMC, VMware and Nutanix by pushing its SolidFire flash-based product into hybrid cloud deployments. Continue Reading
-
Feature
24 Oct 2018
Is hyper-convergence infrastructure becoming stratified?
As more options for converged or hyper-converged IT types come to market, organizations may find themselves siloed into an option by size. Continue Reading
-
Tip
23 Oct 2018
Secondary storage structure is based on workload needs
Using secondary storage can improve the performance of mission-critical applications, but deciding what data is secondary in importance isn't as easy as it seems. Continue Reading
-
Feature
19 Oct 2018
Pivot3 HCI: 7 things you should know
Where did Pivot3 first target its hyper-converged storage systems, and where is it focused today? Find out answers to these and other frequently asked questions. Continue Reading
-
News
26 Sep 2018
X-IO Axellio hitches HCI star to Microsoft, NVMe
X-IO side steps VMware, enters hyper-competitive hyper-converged market with dense NVMe blades packed with Microsoft virtualization and storage software. Continue Reading
-
News
26 Sep 2018
Hitachi Vantara storage takes turn to NVMe, cloud
Hitachi Vantara updates its products and prepares to lay out a strategy for using its storage for IoT and distributed data management amid the multi-cloud movement. Continue Reading
-
News
25 Sep 2018
Dell EMC VxRail powers Mercy Ships' floating hospital DCs
Dell EMC hyper-converged appliances float the Mercy Ships IT team's boat. VxRail helps the medical charity consolidate IT technology in its floating hospitals and headquarters. Continue Reading
-
Feature
25 Sep 2018
7 hyper-converged secondary storage questions answered
Combining HCI and the use cases of secondary storage, such as data recovery and archiving, was a challenge, but a few companies took up that task and launched a new market. Continue Reading
- 06 Sep 2018
- 06 Sep 2018
-
Feature
06 Sep 2018
Examples of hypervisors and how they're supported in HCI products
Hypervisor support in hyper-converged infrastructure has evolved over time. Find out how as we assess the past and current place of individual hypervisors in these architectures. Continue Reading
-
Opinion
06 Sep 2018
Definition of hyper-converged infrastructure evolves, as do products
Defining hyper-convergence can be a challenge. Focus instead on learning about hyper-converged infrastructure product options and how they fit your data center and cloud plans. Continue Reading
-
News
06 Sep 2018
VMworld pushes vSAN HCI to cloud, edge
Private beta for next vSAN version includes built-in snapshots, NFS file services and cloud-native storage, as well as improved cluster management for the HCI software. Continue Reading
-
News
04 Sep 2018
Pivot3 storage moves toward composable capabilities
CEO Ron Nash said Pivot3 and NexGen Storage are integrated as a single code base. NexGen gives Pivot3 automated QoS and dynamic provisioning for multi-cloud enterprises. Continue Reading
-
Feature
31 Aug 2018
Hyper-converged product comparison: What leading HCI vendors offer
Before you purchase a hyper-converged infrastructure system, use the criteria and factors examined here to evaluate 10 leading HCI products. Continue Reading
-
News
29 Aug 2018
VSAN hyper-converged users offer buying, implementing advice
Users provide tips on going from three tiers to tears-free hyper-convergence using VMware vSAN software or other HCI architectures proliferating in the data center and beyond. Continue Reading
-
Tip
28 Aug 2018
Composable architecture options versus CI and HCI
While converged, hyper-converged and composable infrastructures all share some degree of similarity in convergence, important differences can affect your IT architecture choices. Continue Reading
-
News
27 Aug 2018
Dell EMC HCI and storage cloud plans on display at VMworld
Dell EMC promises to synchronize releases of VMware's vSAN on VxRail HCI appliances, although it may take 30 days to do it; fleshes out cloud support for storage, data protection. Continue Reading
-
News
23 Aug 2018
HiveIO seeks to create buzz in HCI market
HiveIO says artificial intelligence makes its Hive Fabric's Message Bus management unique; now, the HCI startup must prove it's really AI and not just an AI-wash. Continue Reading
-
Feature
23 Aug 2018
Answers to NetApp FlexPod commonly asked questions
Wondering which version of FlexPod is ideal for your situation? In this FAQ, find out the answer to this, as well as other common NetApp and Cisco FlexPod questions. Continue Reading
-
News
21 Aug 2018
Dell EMC PowerEdge MX teases 'kinetic' compute and storage
Dell EMC composes its MX composable infrastructure story around SAS storage sleds that slide into in a single 14th generation 7U PowerEdge chassis, with OpenManage software. Continue Reading
-
Feature
20 Aug 2018
Hyper-converged products offer big benefits to IT environments
Hyper-converged technology offers benefits such as scalability to help reduce the storage footprint, and enables organizations to pick the hardware and configuration to best suit their needs. Continue Reading
-
Tip
16 Aug 2018
Datrium open converged infrastructure makes HCI flexible
Datrium calls its less rigid form of converged infrastructure open convergence to highlight its greater scaling flexibility versus converged or hyper-converged infrastructures. Continue Reading
-
Feature
09 Aug 2018
Nutanix hyper-converged Flows into multi-cloud and more
With the introduction of Flow, Beam and Era, Nutanix has made a clear statement that it's aiming for a comprehensive Nutanix enterprise cloud OS. Continue Reading
-
News
08 Aug 2018
Western Digital OpenFlex composes storage infrastructure
Western Digital delivers OpenFlex architecture, an ambitious attempt to foster open standards for composable compute, network and storage as an alternative to hyper-convergence. Continue Reading
-
Feature
30 Jul 2018
Composable infrastructure platform FAQs get answers
While the goal of hyper-converged infrastructure and composable infrastructure are much the same, the way they achieve that objective of on-demand IT infrastructure differs. Continue Reading
-
Tip
23 Jul 2018
New vSAN 6.7 features boost failover, ease management
The latest version of vSAN puts the hyper-converged storage software into a wider range of use cases with better support for failover and a smoother management user interface. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
18 Jul 2018
Test your hyper-converged networking knowledge
Network hyper-convergence is racing to catch up to the level of virtualization of compute and storage. Test yourself on your HCI networking knowledge. Continue Reading
-
Tip
17 Jul 2018
Hyper-converged infrastructure software aids IT flexibility
Implementing a software-based hyper-converged platform can make it easier to scale components separately, but it has drawbacks as well, like multiple support sources. Continue Reading
-
Tip
12 Jul 2018
Craft a converged secondary storage strategy with care
Secondary storage vendors have been offering converged technologies and products for a few years now, and the systems have become more feature-rich and cloud-capable. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jul 2018
Datrium DVX switches focus to converged markets, enterprise
Datrium approaches HCI in a nontraditional way, but its DVX architecture combines compute and storage while pumping up its data protection capabilities. Continue Reading
-
Tip
10 Jul 2018
How to ensure hyper-converged infrastructure security
To secure data in an HCI system, it requires tools and techniques that account for the unique features of hyper-convergence, such as shared resources and virtualized management. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
09 Jul 2018
Test your Cohesity storage systems knowledge
Taking the principles of hyper-convergence and applying them to secondary storage systems enabled Cohesity to create a hyper-converged platform for data recovery and backup. Continue Reading
-
Feature
29 Jun 2018
Your Red Hat Hyperconverged Infrastructure questions answered
Red Hat HCI is software only, based on open source applications and is aimed for IT operations that want to use existing hardware in a DIY implementation. Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jun 2018
Cisco hyper-converged HyperFlex adds NVMe-enabled model
Cisco HyperFlex 3.5 software adds native DR and cloud-based Intersight Storage Analytics. The all-flash hyper-converged systems integrate Nvidia GPUs and Intel Optane NVMe SSDs. Continue Reading
-
News
07 Jun 2018
Hitachi UCP update includes NVMe cache, GPU server
Hitachi updates Unified Compute Platform (UCP) portfolio with new NVMe-based Intel Optane caching option and technology from partners VMware and Cisco. Continue Reading
-
Feature
07 Jun 2018
Find out answers for FAQs about Nutanix AHV and Acropolis
Check out these answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Nutanix's Acropolis and AHV core hyper-converged infrastructure software products. Continue Reading
-
News
24 May 2018
Red Hat Hyperconverged Infrastructure for Cloud launches
Red Hat expands its hyper-converged infrastructure lineup with a cloud offering that combines OpenStack and Ceph. The new option joins Gluster-based HCI for Virtualization. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
23 May 2018
Test your Storage Spaces Direct hyper-converged system smarts
Windows Server 2016 took Microsoft into the HCI game, with hyper-convergence features based on Storage Spaces Direct, the upgrade from Windows Server 2012's Storage Spaces feature. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
22 May 2018
Test your hyper-converged infrastructure storage knowledge
Storage in a hyper-converged infrastructure is not limited to whatever disks the vendor decides to put into its base appliance. Test your knowledge of HCI storage with our quiz. Continue Reading
-
Tip
16 May 2018
Certain solid-state storage characteristics benefit HCI most
Depending on the workload demands, there are features of solid-state storage that can greatly enhance the performance of your hyper-converged infrastructure system. Continue Reading
-
Answer
11 May 2018
Which Windows Server deployment features work best with HCI?
There are features in Windows Server 2016 that are specific to hyper-converged infrastructure, but many of the more basic functions also can be used to customize and improve HCI. Continue Reading
-
News
10 May 2018
Nutanix .NEXT 2018: CEO Pandey talks Xi, Cisco, multi-cloud
Nutanix CEO Dheeraj Pandey discusses why Xi Cloud Services are taking so long to deliver, blames Nutanix No. 1 HCI market share loss on 'funky accounting.' Continue Reading
-
Feature
09 May 2018
Hyper-converged software: Eight things you need to know
What are some commonly asked questions about the choice to build a DIY software-only HCI platform? Below are FAQs about the benefits, drawbacks and option of buying HCI software. Continue Reading
-
News
09 May 2018
Nutanix Flow, Beam, Era highlight .NEXT 2018 launches
Nutanix uses small acquisitions to fuel further expansion of its core HCI into an enterprise cloud OS with Flow, Era and Beam, which were announced at the Nutanix .NEXT 2018. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
03 May 2018
Test your hyper-converged infrastructure use cases knowledge
Our quiz is all about how different workloads and applications require choosing different hardware and software options in a hyper-converged infrastructure platform. Continue Reading
-
Tip
03 May 2018
Inline deduplication fits well with hyper-converged IT
Of the two main types of deduplication, most HCI vendors choose inline over post-process because of the performance benefits and lower levels of total storage required. Continue Reading
-
News
02 May 2018
'Software-defined' Dell EMC HCI gets hardware boost
Dell EMC VxRail customers discuss their use of the HCI platform inside and outside the data center; platform moves to faster 14th gen PowerEdge servers powered by NVMe flash. Continue Reading
- 01 May 2018
-
Opinion
01 May 2018
Cohesity's hyper-converged secondary storage takes on data growth
An out-of-the-box secondary storage strategy to deal with the coming deluge of file and object data promises to overcome scalability, management and capacity limits of NAS. Continue Reading
-
Tip
30 Apr 2018
Composable architecture keeps hardware flexibility
With composable systems, an IT admin can get more choice from the devices on the back end and more choice on the devices it delivers the virtualized resources to. Continue Reading
-
Tip
27 Apr 2018
Use Windows Server deployment for feature-filled HCI
Windows Server 2016 not only supports a hyper-converged infrastructure implementation, but brings with it a rich set of features for both performance and security. Continue Reading
-
News
18 Apr 2018
VxRack Flex at the center of Medicity's SaaS cloud
Hungry for power, healthcare SaaS provider Medicity installed Dell EMC VxRack Flex rack-scale HCI for private cloud to store petabytes of data for its customer network. Continue Reading
-
News
17 Apr 2018
VMware pulls vSAN 6.7 deeper into vSphere
By giving the vSAN 6.7 release more of a vSphere look and common management, VMware hopes to lure more of its customers to use its hyper-converged storage software. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
13 Apr 2018
Take the converged vs. hyper-converged infrastructure quiz
Before you start the decision-making process over which IT approach you should take, quiz yourself on your hyper-converged and converged platform knowledge. Continue Reading
-
Tip
12 Apr 2018
Three solid-state storage advantages that boost HCI performance
There are many advantages to including solid-state storage in your hyper-converged infrastructure plans, such as better performance and lower power costs. Continue Reading
-
News
12 Apr 2018
Emergencies force Safelite to break glass, add NetApp FlexPod
An auto glass supplier chooses FlexPod to consolidate and retire aging storage from several vendors. NetApp AFF supports VMware, and SolidFire arrays support growing claims management. Continue Reading
-
Tip
10 Apr 2018
Business needs define your hyper-convergence technology choices
Base your HCI products of choice around the workloads you run, the architecture they run on and any present or future cloud plans you have for them. Continue Reading
-
Tip
09 Apr 2018
How software-defined networking layers work with HCI
The network function of a hyper-converged infrastructure has been the most difficult to virtualize, but adopting an SDN approach can make it easier for your organization. Continue Reading
-
News
02 Apr 2018
Nutanix HCI, Nakivo backup go straight into Compton schools
The Compton, Calif., school district reduces its data center server and storage footprint with Nutanix hyper-convergence and simplifies data backup with Nakivo software. Continue Reading
-
Feature
29 Mar 2018
Make the most of the hyper-converged cloud
Hyper-converged infrastructures are similar to public cloud platforms in the way they use virtualization of resources. That makes them obvious partners in an IT architecture. Continue Reading
-
Quiz
28 Mar 2018
Take the open source hyper-converged knowledge challenge
If you are considering an open source HCI implementation, this quiz can help you further refine your knowledge and better prepare you for the final decision. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 Mar 2018
Hyper-converged computing and VDI fit together well ... mostly
The flexibility and ease of use of hyper-convergence fit the needs of VDI, but you should also consider other benefits and drawbacks of HCI in a VDI platform. Continue Reading
-
Feature
26 Mar 2018
The hyper-converged network becoming more common in HCI
Virtualizing the network in a hyper-converged system has been the toughest part, but there are products on the market that achieve some of that function. Continue Reading
-
Tip
22 Mar 2018
Converged secondary storage for data protection carries risk
Using converged infrastructure for the secondary storage in your data protection plan can be valuable, but you need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks before choosing that path. Continue Reading
-
News
21 Mar 2018
Pivot3 vSTAC HCI helps Charleston airport IT fly
The Charleston airport IT team expanded its Pivot3 implementation from video surveillance to its main infrastructure stack after deciding hyper-convergence was the way to go. Continue Reading
-
Tip
19 Mar 2018
Ten hyper-converged infrastructure architecture buying mistakes
Buying hyper-converged infrastructure systems can be less stressful if you learn about and avoid these 10 common mistakes that trip up some HCI buyers. Continue Reading
-
Tip
15 Mar 2018
Match your hyper-converged hardware pick with your workload
Overall workload demands and growth projections, not just user applications, should be top of mind when you choose among the hardware options in hyper-converged appliances. Continue Reading
-
News
14 Mar 2018
Pivot3 Acuity X3 eyes big opportunities in smaller spaces
Pivot3 expands its Acuity hyper-converged line with X3 Series. The NVMe flash appliances help smaller departments consolidate mixed application workloads on a common system. Continue Reading
