Hyperconverged Infrastructure

10 Great Hyperconverged Infrastructure Resources

Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) is more than a buzzword (although it certainly is that, as well): it’s moving into data centers worldwide, and transforming them. But that transformation can be a scary thing. There are a lot of moving parts, and much that can go wrong if proper due diligence isn’t performed.

And there are many, many IT shops that haven’t yet taken the plunge, and are unsure if it’s the right move. Those admins have lots of questions about the process of cutting over to HCI.

We’re here to help. What follows is a list of resources that can provide answers to many questions you or your team may have about HCI, whatever your current status with the technology may be.

  • Hyperconverged.org. Yes, we may be biased, but we think the sight you’re on right now is the best place to start learning about hyperconvergence. It includes videos, whitepapers, eBooks and tons more. So you’ve already found the resource you’ll come back to again and again. Stay awhile and look around – you’ll be surprised at what you find.
  • Hyperconvergence Fundamentals

https://www.hyperconverged.org/gorilla-guide-to-hci-fundamentals/ This book, written by ActualTech Media Partners Scott D. Lowe, David Davis and James Green, is your primer for hyperconvergence.

  • Hyperconvergence Defined

https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/definition/hyper-convergence

This article from TechTarget does a decent job of explaining all the parts in a short overview. This one is good if you’re squeezed for time, although it doesn’t go into much detail of the particulars.

  • What is hyperconvergence? Here’s how it works and why it matters

https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-hyperconvergence-is-how-it-works-and-why-it-matters/

This article from ZDNet goes into more detail than the TechTarget piece, and is worth a read if you have more time to spare. It also describes the limitations of hyperconvergence, which is valuable.

  • Understanding how hyper-converged computing fits with VDI

https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/feature/Understanding-how-hyper-converged-computing-fits-with-VDI

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, or VDI, is often seen as one of the best ways to leverage the benefits of hyperconvergence. This piece dives deeper into that use case, and serves as a useful backgrounder for those considering it.

  • Hyperconvergence for the SMB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7wQmuNf92I&t=32s

If you’re a small or medium business (SMB), is hyperconvergence a fit for you? In this 11-minute video, the aforementioned ActualTech Media Partners David Davis and James Green go over what you need to know.

  • Build a Hyperconvergence Home Lab

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9kGrtmF50

This is an extremely cool (and long – about 50 minutes) video on building a hyperconvergence lab in your home. It’s part of the vBrownBag series of tech videos, so you can be confident the information will be solid and useful. It goes step-by-step through the hardware and setup. It’s worth investing your time.

  • Do I need converged or hyper-converged infrastructure appliances?

https://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/tip/Do-I-need-converged-or-hyper-converged-infrastructure-appliances

This is a solid explainer on the difference between the converged systems vs. hyperconverged ones, and which one might be best for your data center. Those two infrastructures have some similarities, but many crucial differences.

  • SDS, Converged, or Hyperconverged? It All Depends on the Application

https://www.meritalk.com/articles/sds-converged-or-hyperconverged-it-all-depends-on-the-application/

This article is focused on government agencies. It does a good job breaking down the choices in the context of what a federal agency relies on in terms of applications. It makes a lot of sense to follow these suggestions.

  • Take a Quiz!

https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/quiz/Test-your-hyper-converged-infrastructure-storage-knowledge

Think you know how hyperconvergence works, especially the storage side? This quiz will give you some immediate feedback on your level of ninja-ness (yes, I just made that up).