Hyper-converged infrastructure

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With the slogan hyperkonvergente infrastructure (English: hyper-converged Infrastructure , HCI ) can be an IT infrastructure call, the software-centric architecture is based on the processors , memory , network and virtualization are interlocked and other technologies closely. Standard hardware with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components can be used as hardware . Such hyper-converged systems are often offered and supported by a single manufacturer.

Hyper-convergent infrastructures are a further development of convergent infrastructures in which hardware and software are also bundled. Conventional monolithic storage systems such as B. Storage Area Network (SAN) or Network Attached Storage (NAS), which formed their own silos in the data center, are being replaced by software-defined storage systems in hyper-converged infrastructures. The essential components of a data center are moved into an appliance and are managed by common virtualization and management tools. The task of the storage software is to provide the hard drives connected directly to the system (DAS - Direct Attached Storage ) or SSD media in the form of a virtual pool for the applications.

HCI combines computing power (processors and RAM) with mass storage (SSDs and hard disks) in each individual (virtual) machine, but combines the storage of several machines with storage software to form a uniform system. This increases the performance and facilitates administration and automation under a uniform administration interface. Better reliability can also be achieved. Overall, hyperconvergence solutions are now also trusted to run business-critical applications, e. B. Business processes, productive applications and BigData / analytics to run. HCI can also be used as a platform for virtual desktops at large companies and web hosting service providers.

Components for hyperconvergence

A hyper-converged infrastructure includes at least the following components:

  • integrated virtualization ( hypervisor )
  • virtualized storage (software-defined storage )
  • virtualized network ( software-defined networking )
  • Central monitoring and control software
  • Extended IT concepts such as connection to the cloud or a disaster recovery concept

Possible benefits

  • Cost reductions
  • operational efficiency of IT
  • faster implementation times since everything from one manufacturer
  • very scalable
  • further consolidation in the data centers
  • reduced I / O blender effect

Open source solutions

Open hyperconverged platforms are built like other HCI systems, except that the hypervisor and storage software are based on open standards. Systems are preinstalled on standard hardware, or alternative hardware can also be used.

  • RedHat : RedHat offers an integrated, software-defined computing and storage platform, whereby virtualization and storage technologies are combined with a proven operating system platform. The target group are companies with distributed locations or branches where there is less room and cooling capacity and hardly any or even no IT administrators on site.
  • Proxmox VE : The open source virtualization platform Proxmox Virtual Environment integrates virtualization as well as virtualized storage and network technologies in a software stack and enables management via a web-based administration interface. A distributed Ceph storage cluster can be created directly via the GUI and hyper-convergence can be achieved.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Nick Ismael: Hyperconvergence or how to optimally manage secondary data. information age, February 28, 2017, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  2. ^ A b Ariane Rüdiger: Data centers: Use of hyperconverged infrastructures is increasing. iX, June 16, 2016, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  3. ↑ a b Ulrike Rieß: Hyper-Convergence: The End of All Storages? TechTarget, May 2015, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  4. ↑ Uwe Schulze: Briefly explained: Hyperconvergence. Compact class. IX, August 1, 2016, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  5. ↑ a b by Thomas Bär, Frank-Michael Schlede: Convergent and hyperconvergent approaches. PC Magazin, March 22, 2016, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  6. ↑ a b Quoted from Christof Windeck: Hyper packages - that is in hyperconverged servers In: CT 2017, Issue 7 , page 112, accessed on June 27, 2017.
  7. ↑ By Thomas Joos: Advantages and Disadvantages of a Hyper Converged Infrastructure. Computerwoche, July 14, 2016, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  8. ↑ a b George Crump: Is vendor lock-in good or bad for hyper-converged systems? TechTarget, June 2017, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  9. ↑ Jens-Christoph Brendel: Red Hat presents free hyper-converged infrastructure. Golem.de, June 26, 2017, accessed June 27, 2017 .
  10. ^ Patrick Kennedy: Proxmox VE Cluster with Ceph - Re-purposing for Hyper-convergence. ServeTheHome, November 6, 2015, accessed June 27, 2017 .