Thorough IT infrastructure builds tend to be cost-prohibitive and consequently, difficult to justify for many businesses. Hyperconvergence is a great alternative to traditional IT builds, both in terms of cost and robustness.
What are hyperconverged infrastructures?
In a traditional IT environment, networking, server, and storage hardware need to be purchased separately and configured to work together as a cohesive system. Later, manufacturers started offering converged systems — pre-built “stacks” of hardware that work together right out of the box and come with advanced management tools and tech support.
Now, hyperconverged infrastructure packs the entire stack into one box and configures everything to be managed via a single interface. Not only is this box more affordable and easier to use, but it can also be used like Lego — just keep adding boxes as your business grows.
Streamlined upgrades through software-centric computing
Putting everything you need into a single box and then wrapping it with a flexible and adaptable management software makes receiving regular patches and updates more convenient. Restructuring or adding more hardware later is also easier than ever before.
Unified administration
Hyperconvergence consolidates a number of separate functions and services into one piece of technology. Your network manager can tweak storage, cloud, backup, and database settings from one control center, saving time and effort.
Simple scalability
Different hyperconvergence boxes come in different sizes and capabilities, and all it takes to scale up is to install additional units based on your forecasted needs. If all you need is a little extra, you can simply purchase a small upgrade. But when you’re expecting rapid growth, a bigger box should help you cope with the demands of bigger operations. An added benefit — hyperconverged boxes make for faster deployment of IT services to remote offices as well.
Stronger data protections
Complexity is the Achilles’ heel of IT networks. Staying on top of a mounting pile of account management settings, malware definitions, and data storage settings is next to impossible. A hyperconverged infrastructure combats this problem, as your servers and virtual machines form an all-in-one service.
Keep in mind that while hyperconvergence is simpler than most virtualization solutions, rarely is it simple enough to be handled by in-house IT departments of SMBs. A managed services provider (MSP) is better equipped to handle the growth and evolution of technology catalyzed by hyperconvergence.
The better your technology, the faster you can respond to business challenges. And the faster you can address your shifting needs, the less downtime you’ll experience. Call us today to find the hyperconverged system that best fits your business.
