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Hyper-Converged Storage: A Software-Defined Approach to Storage Management

Hyper-converged storage or hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) is a software-defined information technology (IT) that virtualizes all traditional components of “hardware-defined” systems via a hypervisor.

Hyper-converged storage solutions include, at the very least, a virtual machine monitor (VMM), virtualized networking (software-defined networking), and a virtualized SAN (software-defined storage). HCI quintessentially functions on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers (also referred to a commodity servers).

First termed by Arun Taneja, a former IBM executive, HCI should not be mistaken for a cloud. Rather, HCI uses multiple physical computer systems and unites their internal storage, transforming them into single shared storage useful for virtualization. We consider this clustering with a few added features. However, HCI should not be misconstrued as cloud computing.

However, some HCI products have reached a centrality between merely x86 virtualization and cloud computing.

For instance, HCI removes the once complicated aspects of the conventional data center stack (shared storage), simplifying it enough that administrators are no longer required to know its inner workings.

The Benefits of Hyper-Converged Storage

Hyper-converged storage solutions afford more control over storage in a virtual server. Along with granting administrators single-pane-of-glass capabilities, hyper-converged storage nodes are connected, as well as scale-out horizontally. This permits users to develop a shared storage infrastructure in which direct-attached storage (DAS) segments from the physical servers are consolidated to form a consistent pool of disk space.

In addition to that, put in simple terms, since each node is running its own virtualization software that is identical to all other nodes in the cluster, the storage and resources can be used as a single compute or storage pool. In short, this technology simplifies things to a much greater extent that a converged infrastructure (CI).

Other benefits include:

  • A smaller more efficient IT staff
  • Far greater gains through automation
  • Increased data security
  • Overall improved system performance
  • Simplified procurement and support
  • Lower operational cost

Converged Versus Hyper-Converged: Why Adding Hyper Counts Big Time

Adding the word “hyper” to the term converged storage doesn’t translate to “more power.” Both the CI and HCI solutions consolidate the storage, compute and networking elements within a single data center. However, both systems deliver very similar outcomes differently.

The converged infrastructure is advantageous for enterprises in certain ways, including reduced deployment cost, maintenance and operation – in other words, more to manage. Furthermore, a CI solution can be deployed faster than traditional infrastructures, requires less cabling and features a much-reduced ecological footprint as well.

So, what are the primary differences distinguishing CI solutions from HCI solutions? Let’s have a quick look.

  • HCI doesn’t replace CI, as they both possess unique benefits that might be of value to one organization or another
  • HCI shares storage among all compute and virtual machines (VMs) while CI does not
  • The HCI architecture runs a storage controller function as a service on every node within the group while the CI architecture is connected to the physical server directly
  • HCI ordinarily consists of a 1U or 2U (rack-unit) system that links one or multiple multi-core servers with local storage arrays, while CI solutions usually use large rack-scale platforms
  • HCI is oftentimes used on commodity computing components while providing an uncomplicated scale-out design with commodity servers that can be replaced rather than repaired
  • HCI is more resilient, flexible and ascendible than CI solutions
  • CI infrastructures employ “building blocks” and relies chiefly upon hardware, whereas HCI infrastructures are strictly software-defined

If you have any questions or would like to talk to a storage specialist, contact us today.