Let’s talk about clusters and clouds. We often associate the word “cluster” with terms such as redundancy, resiliency or workload distribution. IT admins have traditionally turned to clustering bare metal systems such as firewall appliances, web servers, and virtual hosting platforms for years. When we consider the “cloud” we think about characteristics such as limitless scalability, elasticity, and simplicity. Of course, the infrastructure that supports these cloud environments is derived from clustered infrastructures, hidden underneath SaaS and IaaS platforms and are thus inaccessible to customers.

Extend Nutanix Clusters Into The Cloud

But what if you extend your clusters into the cloud? You could have then the best of both worlds. That is what has delivered on, cloud-based clusters that reduce both the cost and complexity of today’s most complicated hybrid networks. Think of their solution as a cluster on steroids. For instance:

• In the same way that you are accustomed to firing up additional virtual machines within your on-premises HCI solution, you can now scale out, not only from a capacity perspective, but a geographical one as well. That’s because you can burst added capacity across multiple clouds in order to meet unforeseen demands from multiple regions of the world.
• What you giveth, you can also take back away. Idle machines cost money in an OPEX cloud model so let you spin down virtual machines and shrink capacities when demand fades in order to save money. Nutanix Clustering does one better than that, however. Not only can you hibernate VMs and their supporting resources, you can even hibernate the bare metal instances that support the cluster itself, saving you bare metal compute costs as well. Then simply resume these instances when they are needed again down the road. In other words, you aren’t just right-sizing your VM capacity, you’re also right-sizing your cluster infrastructure in real time as well. This is especially beneficial for , say for DevOps or seasonal-based businesses.

Watch how to hibernate VMs in this 2-minute demo from Nutanix

• Nutanix cloud-based clusters take redundancy to the next level as well as you can leverage public clouds for high availability and even if your primary workloads reside on-premises. Your disaster ready infrastructure can reside in faraway geographic reasons to ensure ultimate redundancy.

Cloud Like, But Not Cloud Only

The Nutanix HCI stack is available on AWS and Azure bare metal instances, fully extending the power of existing on-premises Nutanix HCI clusters into the cloud. But that doesn’t mean it is a cloud only solution. It also doesn’t mean that you are reliant on any third parties as is the usual case with cloud-based services. Nor are you locked into any particular cloud infrastructure. Using the Prism Central management interface, internal IT remains in complete control of their own environment, calling the shots as they see fit. Admins can now manage any Nutanix node, VM or application within their ecosphere from a single pane of glass. This not only simplifies administration but also allows you to maximize your resources to your mission critical workloads rather than management tasks. All of this allows for seamless integration on a number of levels. Here are three to consider:

1. It redefines the concept of “lift and shift” for applications. While lift and shift migrations might not involve a forklift, it often requires rearchitecting your applications in order to transition them to the cloud. By decoupling applications from their underlying platform, Nutanix gives you the ability to migrate on-premises applications to the cloud with minimal changes, thus saving you time and money.
2. Those applications that must be hosted by your on-premises Nutanix cluster can be modernized in cloud like fashion by allotting them direct access to native cloud services such as AI-based analytics and other advanced digital initiatives.
3. Not only are your applications completely portable now, so are your licenses. Current Nutanix customers can utilize existing Nutanix Capacity Based Licenses (CBL) and apply them to the cloud. Simply reduce or retire your existing on-premises clusters and apply them to the cloud. New customers hosting environments that have consistent workloads may want a commitment-based subscription plan while others may be better off with a pay-as-you-go structure.

A True Hybrid Cloud

There was a time when a network was comprised of a single data center. There was a time when an enterprise utilized a single cloud. Those days are long gone as businesses have evolved with the times, and so has Nutanix. HCI is no longer about on-premises hardware environments. Nutanix clusters are about incorporating all aspects of your hybrid cloud whether it be public or private clouds. Nutanix clusters operate in a borderless vacuum so that you can operate your applications and services in a hybrid estate that is void of confining perimeters. In the same way that the first Nutanix cluster solutions began busting up silos within the traditional data center, they’re now doing the same for multi-cloud environments as well. Nutanix clusters offer you the freedom of the cloud in terms of performance and portability. Exciting, right? Maximize your today by clustering everything into one extended platform.

NEXT STEPS: We’ve helped countless enterprise IT teams transform their business with Nutanix. Leverage our team’s extensive knowledge by with us. Whether you’re consider adopting Nutanix, or if you want to know how to get more value from your Nutanix environment, we’re here to help. .

Where are you in your journey to software defined infrastructure?

In this eBook you will learn about the benefits of software defining your infrastructure, why and how hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) plays a critical role, and compare your journey to SDI against IDC’s 7 essential steps for IT transformation. Click below to download your copy of the FREE eBook today!

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Even as we conquer one technology and discover all the different ways we can bend it to our will, another comes along and the cycle begins anew. For today’s enterprises edge computing represents a great leap forward in data processing.

In this article, we’ll offer a high-level overview of the edge, explain why your enterprise should take advantage of the benefits of edge computing, and three tips to help you get your edge strategy started.

What Is Edge Computing?

Understanding exactly what the edge encompasses is the first step to devising your own edge strategy. That said, the definition of edge computing is a bit nebulous, with organizations often defining exactly what constitutes as “the edge” based on their own computing environments and their specific organizations.

That said, the fundamental principle of edge computing remains the same: Bringing computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, which is turns speeds up processing time and improves data-related productivity.

In a recent report commissioned by Dell, the technology was described as:

“Edge computing” is a term that encompasses a broad array of execution venues, including devices and equipment with embedded compute, adjacent computing devices that augment compute-constrained endpoints, gateways to legacy equipment, and proximate compute resources in closets, cages and within the network operator infrastructure. Edge computing also includes hyperconverged infrastructure that integrates and virtualizes key components of IT infrastructure including storage, networking and compute.”

The bottom line is that while the exact definition and application of the edge can differ, enterprises are all searching for the same things when they utilize it: increased agility, productivity, and a reduction in the time spent processing data before it can be properly utilized.

Why Your Enterprise Needs To Embrace Edge Computing

Now that we’ve explained what the edge is, let’s delve into why enterprises are so keen on employing their own edge strategies.

Some of the motivation can be attributed to seeking a competitive advantage, the same reason any new technology is adopted once it’s been proven to be effective.

Other reasons enterprises are seeking out edge computing are the specific benefits offered by the edge.

As shared by Dell, these benefits include:

• Reduced latency – Through edge computing, the latency inherent to physical distance can be overcome.
• Bandwidth conservation – The locations that need the edge the most often have limited WAN bandwidth. By processing data locally, enterprises can extract the maximum business value from it.
• Operational technology (OT) connectivity – Enterprises in some industries require specific compute devices in order to acquire data and pass control information. Edge computing can help support the needs of these businesses.
• Business process availability – Critical tasks undertaken at the edge need to be able to continue even during network outages or other crisis situations. Edge computing can ensure that these locations, whether a factory, retail location, or hospital, can continue to operate even during outages.
• Data sovereignty – Depending on the industry and location, the movement of some types of data may be restricted. Edge computing can help enterprises overcome these restrictions and still leverage the data produced.

3 Tips for Building Your Edge Computing Strategy

Once it’s decided that an enterprise should move forward in adopting an edge strategy, the next step to plot the path forward. Like any other technology, adopting it without a proper plan in place can reduce the technology’s effectiveness in the long-term. So, what do enterprises need to keep in mind for their edge strategy?

1. Plan your strategy around your specific business goals. Every enterprise is different and edge strategies are not one size fits all. Keep your specific targeted business outcomes in mind when designing your strategy and you can ensure that your edge strategy will drive your business forward.
2. Be efficient when designing your infrastructure. The edge is all about consolidating and looking for opportunities to save on resources to improve agility and productivity. By integrating your data streams, your edge infrastructure can also take advantage of the existing edge data.
3. Keep the future in mind. Your edge strategy shouldn’t just be planned for the here and now, it should also take the future into consideration. Consider what the growth of your enterprise will mean for your edge strategy and plan accordingly. Planning now will pay dividends down the line.

Do You Need Help on Your Journey to the Edge?

is committed to helping enterprises transform the way they do business. To support this, Dell offers a broad range of applicable for a variety of industries and that can meet the unique requirements of your enterprise. The best part? You can leverage WEI’s expertise across Dell’s portfolio of infrastructure solutions to help determine the best solution for your business. WEI is here to help set you up for success with your edge computing strategy.

NEXT STEPS: Adoption of hyperconverged infrastructure solutions are on the rise as more and more enterprise businesses see the benefits first hand. Check out our tech brief below that features several of the reasons our customers choose VxRail for HCI. (No forms required!)

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After being popularized and exploding onto the IT scene almost a decade ago, the usage and management of containers is still evolving as new and more efficient organization strategies and tools are developed.

is one such tool. It was released in 2014 and over the last several years, has grown to be one of the most frequently utilized container management platforms.

That said, its popularity does nothing to simplify its core concepts and for executives, even those with an IT background, it can be hard to understand just how important and useful Kubernetes really is.

To make the conversation easier, we’ve pulled the top four things enterprise leadership should know about Kubernetes from ‘s Kubernetes for Executives report and other sources, and shared them in the article below.

1. What is Kubernetes?

The first step to understanding the benefits of Kubernetes (Koo-burr-NET-eez) is to actually learn what it is. This is typically the part that creates the most confusion for non-technical members of leadership teams.

As described on , “Kubernetes is a portable, extensible, open-source platform for managing containerized workloads and services, that facilitates both declarative configuration and automation.”

Depending on your own technical knowledge, that explanation might seem pretty simple or it may require further explanation. To start with, what is a container and what are they used for?

In VMware’s words, “ encapsulate applications and make them portable.” Essentially, containers provide a way to keep software running under identical conditions when it is moved from one computing environment to another. As an example, this might be migrating an application from a test environment into production.

For today’s enterprises, containers offer a sort of “plug and play” method for administration, development, and distribution of applications and their relevant dependencies.

Kubernetes goes one step further and offers scalable, automatic management and administration for distributed systems at the container level and serves as a starting platform for developers, while also preserving user choice and flexibility.

2. What are the benefits?

At its core, Kubernetes is an API-based, scalable and extensible solution, supported in all major public clouds and with a growing community of open-source solutions that complement its essential features.

Among its other benefits, Kubernetes offers the following, :

• Service discovery and load balancing
• Storage orchestration
• Automated rollouts and rollbacks
• Automatic bin packing
• Self-healing
• Secret and configuration management

For a non-technical audience, Kubernetes can best be described as an automated system that eliminates many of the manual provisioning and other tasks required for container management.

Its components, which are easily replaceable to allow the system to be extended to new requirements and environments, work together to coordinate activities and react to events.

3. Why Your Enterprise Needs Kubernetes

As shared by VMware, Kubernetes benefits the enterprise at multiple levels, from the IT teams that administer the digital environment, to application developers, and all the way up to CIOs.

The bottom line is:

• Kubernetes reduces the amount of time administrators need to spend on container management, allowing them to focus on more complex and beneficial tasks.
• It allows enterprises to deliver new software and products more quickly.
• Kubernetes improves infrastructure and application availability, resulting in increased productivity at every level of the enterprise.
• It improves security by allowing application developers to play an active role in designing securable application.

4. How To Get Started With Kubernetes

Starting your journey to Kubernetes adoption can seem daunting, especially for those enterprises that have yet to fully embrace cloud computing technologies. However, the rewards of taking the leap are undeniable, especially for those enterprises the prioritize software development.

If you aren’t sure where to get started, VMware and can help you pave your way forward.

Are Your Looking For A Partner On Your Journey To Kubernetes?

VMware offers enterprises solutions that will help them manage and run consistent infrastructure, across on-premises data centers and public clouds, improving user experience and overall business operations. Their innovative approach to container orchestration offers architecture that is easy to deploy and manage, increasing enterprise agility and flexibility.

NEXT STEPS: Is your organization using containers?

Click below to grab your copy of our FREE EBOOK, “The IT Leader’s Guide to Using Containers in Today’s Digital World.”

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Batman and Superman. Iron Man and Captain America. Everyone loves when two giants in their own right come together for the common good. Simply put, everyone loves a superhero team up. Enter and .

Each offers a variety of solutions that propel enterprises through digital transformation and modernization efforts, including key cloud computing solutions. Through their partnership, HPE and Nutanix have gone one step further by offering enterprises a complete private cloud infrastructure integrated with software.

HPE And Nutanix Are Helping Enterprises Take Control Of The Cloud

As previously mentioned, HPE and Nutanix each stand in their own right when it comes to cloud computing.

In one corner you have , a fully managed, scalable IT infrastructure service, which offers enterprises a cloud-like consumption model for on-premises infrastructure. With GreenLake, HPE has cast aside the one-size-fits-all approach to supported technology by allowing enterprises to choose the most appropriate supported HPE or third-party technology. HPE also offers flexible pay-as-go models and makes it easy for enterprises to scale to their exact needs.

In the other corner is the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform, a complete IT infrastructure which has the agility, scalability, and simplicity of the cloud, and the security, performance, and cost predictability of traditional on-premises infrastructure. Nutanix Enterprise Cloud offers additional benefit by spreading all data and processes across the entire cluster, which improves resource utilization, scalability, and performance predictability.

HPE And Nutanix Combined

Together, Nutanix and HPE are reinventing the way IT organizations build cloud infrastructure by combining the best of public cloud with the security and control of private cloud.

First up is , which feature built in integration with Nutanix software. Engineered to provide an infrastructure stack which is delivered either as an up-front purchase or as-a-service, this joint venture offers support for (VDI), built-in data protection, and additional third-party integrations right out of the box.

In terms of VDI, HPE ProLiant DX systems offer improved user performance and scalability, without the burden of high capital costs. IT organizations also have full remote replication capabilities, as well as backup to local systems, a remote site, or to the cloud.

In addition to the ProLiant DX systems, HPE and Nutanix have also collaborated to offer , which expands HPE GreenLake to run the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud as-a-service to support key areas.

For databases, HPE GreenLake with Nutanix mitigates common management challenges that come about due to the use of traditional infrastructure to support high-performance database operations. By streamlining database deployment, management, and operations, HPE GreenLake frees IT up for more complex and strategic projects.

Amongst its numerous other benefits, offers enterprises faster and easier deployment and management of VDI, as well as desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) infrastructure. HPE GreenLake with Nutanix also simplifies bring-your-own-device and choose-your-own-device programs through the distribution of applications through SaaS models.

Additionally, the focus on private cloud infrastructure, supported by hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), allows enterprises to consolidate siloed workloads into just one management platform. HPE GreenLake with Nutanix also offers one-click database deployment, management, and operations, simplifying the management process even further.

[Featured Video]
The Hype is Real with Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Overall, HPE GreenLake with Nutanix and the ProLiant DX family of systems are offering enterprises additional flexibility, security, and efficiency when it comes to cloud computing, as well as flexible billing options and support for remote workforces.

Ready to Master The Cloud With HPE And Nutanix?

While many enterprises have made moves to adopt cloud computing, truly mastering the cloud is another thing entirely. HPE and Nutanix are both leading the charge in the development of cloud software and through their partnership, they are offering the cloud solutions enterprises need to succeed in today’s digital world. If you’re ready to make the change now, contact WEI to begin building a custom solution for your business.

[Featured Video]
Real Tech with WEI – Episode 1: HPE ProLiant Gen 10 Servers

Take a closer look at the HPE ProLiant family of servers and find out why the HPE Gen10 rack servers have earned the title of “World’s Most Secure Industry Standard Servers” in this episode of Real Tech with WEI featuring WEI 疯情AV Architect, Jay Cardin.

The post HPE and Nutanix – The IT Modernization Dream Team appeared first on IT 疯情AV Provider - IT Consulting - Technology 疯情AV.

Modern data centers are more efficient and high-performing than ever, but problems and failures still occur. The goal is to leverage the software defined data center (SDDC) to achieve optimal efficiency for the business. Incompatible hardware and an overabundance of solutions often prevent true convergence. Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) links the entire data center to one comprehensive management system. HCI creates a seamless, robust data center environment, eliminating many virtualization challenges. With HCI, you can maximize performance and efficiency, and get a better return on your data center investment.

Simplify Data Center Management

HCI turns the data center into a cohesive environment with one management console. Formerly isolated devices are linked together to form a single system with a shared resource pool. IT administrators can manage the entire system from a central interface. This convergence is not limited to a single location. With HCI, enterprises can connect multiple data centers and manage them as one system. HCI eliminates the need for a divided IT with a specialized group managing each aspect of the data center.

Support Virtualization

Virtual machines (VMs) are a key part of the software-defined infrastructure (SDI). With HCI, IT can shift to a VM-centric approach to data center management. HCI provides integrated policies and management options that are implemented at the VM level. In a hyperconverged system, the VM is always the main focus. Policies and resources are implemented and managed in a way that best supports the VM.

Optimize Resources

The goal of virtualization is to create a shared resource pool that helps maximize performance and resource utilization. However, many data centers face the performance-killing input/output (IO) blender effect. HCI connects the hypervisor and storage resources in a way that prevents the IO blender. Enterprises can eliminate their resource islands and still meet individual application needs. HCI allows for true resource pooling, resulting in increased capacity and optimal performance.

Maximize Scalability and Efficiency

HCI provides granular scalability, simplifying expansion. Enterprises no longer need to make sizable infrastructure investments to increase their resources. The infrastructure can be scaled up by much smaller amounts, allowing companies to only invest in the resources that they actually need. HCI also makes it easy to implement new resources. The comprehensive system can identify and configure each device as it is added.

Create Effective Automation

Incompatible, unconnected hardware has always rendered data center automation impossible. HCI’s central management interface turns the data center into a unified environment where automation is not just possible; it is simple to achieve. With HCI, IT can finally automate many routine processes. The management interface even provides tools to make automation easy and effective. Automation increases IT efficiency and reduces the manpower needed for basic operations. IT can focus on business needs rather than routine procedures.

Provide Better Data Security

Data security is a complex challenge that many enterprises do not adequately address. Legacy systems rely on third-party solutions that are often ineffective and hard to integrate. HCI provides built-in comprehensive security tools that offer greater protection. Efficient backup and recovery solutions maximize data protection and availability without creating a drain on the system. The central management platform allows IT to immediately recognize and resolve security issues.

Increase Agility and Responsiveness

Business needs rapidly change, requiring IT to be more agile and responsive than ever. The simplified management, automation, and scalability HCI provides help maximize IT agility. Administrators can easily move workloads and allocate resources as needed while automated processes allow IT to focus more on meeting business needs. With HCI, IT can function as a valuable business service, improving performance and efficiency throughout the organization.

HCI eliminates many of the issues that modern SDDCs face. With HCI, data center management is simple and efficient. Automated processes allow IT to focus more on business objectives and maximize their agility. Easy scalability and resource pooling ensure optimal resource utilization. Built-in tools ensure that data is always secure without sacrificing system performance. HCI does not require an expensive upfront investment as it can be implemented over time. HCI is a cost-effective solution that can help you get more from your data center investment. When every part of the data center is linked to form a cohesive infrastructure, virtualization can reach its full potential.

[Featured Video]

Real Tech with WEI: Getting Started with Hyperconverged Infrastructure

NEXT STEPS: Explore the key differences between converged and hyperconverged infrastructure in our white paper: Future Ready Data center: Converged vs Hyperconverged infrastructure.

The post What Can Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) Do for Your Business? appeared first on IT 疯情AV Provider - IT Consulting - Technology 疯情AV.

First, VMware reinvented the data center with their ESXi hypervisor. Then they transformed server management and deployment with vSphere. Now VMware’s NSX is revolutionizing networking through advanced software-defined networking (SDN) technology. VMware NSX is a comprehensive networking solution that solves the challenges faced by the modern data center. Designed to maximize speed, agility, and security, NSX can help your enterprise realize its full potential.

Creating a Fully Virtualized Data Center

Modern data centers have already adopted a software-first approach, utilizing VMs and software-defined storage whenever possible. However, many data centers still rely on legacy networking solutions. VMware NSX is the final piece of the software-defined data center (SDDC) puzzle. With NSX, you can now virtualize every aspect of your data center.

NSX brings hypervisor technology to the network. Just like a traditional hypervisor, it works by abstracting the software layer from the underlying hardware. A virtualized network extends the benefits of virtualization to your applications. Deployment of new application hosting environments is no longer limited by the physical infrastructure. The comprehensive management platform allows you to easily create, relocate, snapshot, and restore application environments. Each workload can run in the environment that best meets its individual needs.

Virtualizing your Services

NSX unites all of your networking and security services under a single management platform. From VMs to the cloud, NSX manages traffic and security in every part of the network.

• Switching – All VMs can communicate through a virtual extensible LAN (VXLAN) with NSX’s full switch functionality.
• Routing – NSX provides dynamic routing between logical switches and virtual networks.
• Distributed Firewalling – NSX’s scalable firewall automatically provides security and visibility for all virtualized networks and workloads.
• Load Balancing – NSX provides L4-L7 load distribution to maximize application scalability and availability.
• Edge Gateway – VXLAN to VLAN bridging capability ensures efficient connectivity for physical workloads.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) – NSX offers both remote access and site-to-site VPNs.
• Endpoint Protection – NSX’s vShield Endpoint provides effective anti-virus protection.

Better Security with Microsegmentation

Legacy security solutions focus primarily on perimeter defense. When a threat breaches the outer defenses, there are few provisions in place for lateral protection. Once a threat penetrates the network, it is free to move throughout the system. This type of single-point security is no longer adequate. NSX’s microsegmentation approach provides comprehensive security for every part of the network.

Microsegmentation addresses individual security needs, allowing you to assign unique security policies to every single task, workload, and service. Assigned policies follow workloads as they move throughout the system. When creating and assigning security policies, you are not limited to fixed aspects, such as IP addresses. Policies can be defined based on changing criteria, like operating systems and users. NSX also allows for efficient, automated security. Newly created workloads are automatically assigned to the appropriate security policies. Microsegmentation with NSX provides flexible, customizable, and effective security for the entire network.

Which Version of NSX is Right for Your Enterprise?

VMware offers two different versions of their NSX data center. NSX-V is designed for enterprises that already use vSphere and are looking to extend virtualization to their network. While NSX-T is better suited for companies with more diverse data center architectures. NSX-T works well with public cloud hosting environments, container-based applications, and even other hypervisors.

A Cost-Benefit Analysis of NSX

In addition to all the benefits already mentioned, NSX is also designed to provide a substantial ROI. A Total Economic Impact study revealed that, in three years of use, NSX might save enterprises:

• $1 million in hardware and operating expenses
• $1.2 million through automation and reduced administration time
• $7.4 million in decreased hardware needs
• $1.6 million from increased user efficiency
• An indeterminable amount through security breach prevention and containment

VMware NSX extends the full benefits of virtualization to your network, giving you a true. All networking and security services are easily managed through a single, comprehensive platform. Application environments are simple to deploy and manage, allowing for better workload optimization. NSX’s microsegmentation approach ensures constant and consistent security that can be customized to meet each workload’s individual needs. VMware has also designed NSX to provide a significant ROI. The increased security, agility, and speed that NSX offers can help you reduce expenses and optimize your data center.

NEXT STEPS: Achieve more speed, more security and more agility with less time and money with the VMware NSX platform by reading our white paper titled A 360-Degree View of the VMware NSX Platform.

The post Get to Know VMware NSX and Transform Your Network appeared first on IT 疯情AV Provider - IT Consulting - Technology 疯情AV.

Over the past decade, drastic changes have taken place within the data center. Technological advances and innovative new products have revolutionized the way data centers operate. Virtualization is now a vital part of the modern software-defined data center (SDDC). While virtualization is enormously beneficial, it comes with a new set of challenges. Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) resolves many of the efficiency, security, and scalability issues facing today’s data centers.

What is HCI?

HCI is a next-generation architecture designed to meet the needs of the modern SDDC. Created to support cloud and software-first methods, HCI unites every aspect of the data center. Servers, hypervisors, storage, and data management are controlled from a central platform. HCI provides high scalability and agility while simplifying data center management. With HCI, enterprises can take a cloud-first approach without sacrificing availability and performance.

Data center convergence is not a new idea. There are many comprehensive solutions that link storage, networking, and computing devices. However, many of these solutions only serve to simplify infrastructure development and upgrades. Modern SDDCs require a solution that also addresses day-to-day management and operational needs.

Virtualization has become a key data center element. HCI simplifies the management of virtual machines and workloads, and solves many virtualization challenges. With HCI, IT can manage the entire data center from a single interface. HCI permits the clustering of systems, even across separate sites, creating shared resource pools. In turn, this helps maximize availability, agility, performance, and scalability.

Challenges and Industry Trends

Virtualization has redefined the data center, but it has its own challenges. New products and solutions are available each week. Enterprises often rush to employ every new device to ensure that their data centers are state-of-the-art. Many of these solutions are highly beneficial and meet specific needs. For example, deduplication appliances can significantly cut down on the storage space required for backups. The downside is that these devices are not all designed to work together. Each product must be managed separately, and each part of the IT department requires a dedicated specialist. This disconnect has made data center management complicated and inefficient.

IT departments often employ several solutions to maximize data efficiency and storage capacity. However, many of these products utilize the same methods, resulting in CPU intensive redundancies. For example, data sent to storage is deduplicated to maximize storage space. To create a backup, the data must be hydrated or returned to its original state. It is then deduplicated again when the system sends the backup to storage. This repeated deduplication and hydration results in extensive CPU and bandwidth costs. The intended benefits of the solutions are neutralized by the increased demands on the infrastructure.

Virtualization has revolutionized the way enterprises use and manage their servers. Unfortunately, few companies are using virtualization as intended. True virtualization should unite all resources into a single pool that users can access as needed. When IT departments use separate incompatible hardware and software components, the benefits of virtualization are reduced. Each component must be managed through its own interface. The result is separate groups of specialists managing different aspects of the data center. This creates a complex management system that limits the data center’s potential.

Benefits of HCI

HCI seeks to simplify data center management and optimize resources. With HCI, enterprises can eliminate the need for separate management systems and staff. HCI works by linking each aspect of the data center to create a single physical system with one comprehensive management interface. Data center management is drastically simplified, resulting in increased performance. HCI helps enterprises maximize:

• Data efficiency
• Scalability
• Data protection
• Application and workload mobility
• Data availability

Resource and management optimization also lowers operating costs and reduces IT expenses, making HCI a cost-effective solution. With HCI, companies can get more out of their data center investments.

HCI allows enterprises to realize the true potential of their modernized data centers. Tech innovations and changing business needs have transformed the data center and brought on new challenges. Incompatible devices and solutions are managed separately and often create intense system demands. IT becomes a multi-department division, with each group managing a different aspect of the system. This separation cancels out the unity that virtualization should bring. With HCI, every part of the data center is connected to and managed by a single interface. HCI turns the modern data center into the comprehensive, streamlined environment it is designed to be.

NEXT STEPS: Explore the major differences between converged and hyperconverged infrastructure in our white paper: Future Ready Data center: Converged vs Hyperconverged infrastructure.

The post The Basics of Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) appeared first on IT 疯情AV Provider - IT Consulting - Technology 疯情AV.

One of the biggest struggles with managing an enterprise data center is the need for various tools with multiple interfaces to manage the different systems associated with IT. This struggle is compounded with the fact that each of these data center systems do not talk to each out of the box, and complex integrations begin to take over. addresses this challenge by delivering an infrastructure that can manage the technical, as well as the organizational side by combining storage, compute, and network equipment into one.

What is Composable Infrastructure?

To put it simply, composable infrastructure treats computing, storage, and devices as resources that can be pooled together and used as needed. You are able to adjust the infrastructure depending on what workloads you require at the time so that you can optimize your IT performance and improve agility within the organization.

Network World compares this type of infrastructure to a public cloud, stating, “The approach is like a public cloud in that resource capacity is requested and provisioned from shared capacity – except composable infrastructure sits on-premises in an enterprise data center.”

Unlike other infrastructure systems, a composable infrastructure does not have pre-configured workloads. This freedom from pre-configured workloads allows your enterprise to reduce its under-utilization and over-provisioning, which in turn creates a more agile data center.

So how can benefit your enterprise? Keep reading for five ways that this composable infrastructure solution can help your organization.

5 Benefits of HPE Synergy for Your Enterprise

1. Run anything: With HPE Synergy you’re able to run resources at any time within a single pool. This allows you to instantly configure your system according to the specific needs of each application.
2. Software defined intelligence: Not only can you instantly configure the system to meet your needs, HPE’s composer uses integrated software-defined intelligence, which is able to accelerate operations using a single interface.
3. Pooling resources: HPE Synergy allows you to pool resources together with their operating system image using repeatable templates. This ability gives you the option to precisely compose and recompose infrastructures almost immediately. As explains, “When a template is launched, it configures the hardware programmatically, without human intervention, according to HPE, reducing the chance for errors and speeding up the process. The management software can also store OS images and apply them when a server is configured, automating that process as well.”
4. Scalability: Auto-integrating infrastructure makes scaling simple and automated. IT can easily assemble the building blocks your enterprise needs. Automatically update firmware, set BIOS settings and configure network connectivity.
5. Open integrations: HPE Synergy provides a fully programmable interface that allows your enterprise to take full advantage of potential vendor partnerships. With open-source automation and DevOps tools such as Chef, Docker, and OpenStack, you’re able to seamlessly integrate multiple management tools and future-proof your data center.

5 Questions To Ask Yourself About Composable Infrastructure

While composable infrastructure may seem like the answer to your data center needs, before you jump in head first you need to be aware that a successful move to composable infrastructure won’t happen without careful planning and a team that has the skills needed to take on such a project. To help you know if you’re ready to deploy composable infrastructure in your organization, here are five questions you need to ask:

1. What are your operational and financial goals?
2. What problem are you trying to solve: single and discrete or a systemic?
3. How quickly do you need to deploy your applications?
4. Does average server over-provisioning amount to more than 85 percent?
5. What are your organization’s requirements for data security?

Do you need help answering these questions? Contact WEI to kick off a discussion. We have experience implementing HPE Synergy and have several assessments to help you make the right decisions along your data center modernization journey.

Next Steps: Learn how to drive data center modernization with composable infrastructure by downloading our .

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What is a Software Defined Data Center?

The Software Defined Data Center is a revolutionary leap forward for the traditional data center in that it is not entirely hardware driven. Instead it combines vendor-agnostic hardware with software-driven intelligence. It is made up of five components: Software Defined Computing (SDC), Software Defined Networking (SDN), Software Defined Storage (SDS), Automation Orchestration and Management, and allows organizations to collaborate, connect and manage their IT resources in a whole new way. This new paradigm allows IT organizations to break free from the endless cycle of upgrades and hardware maintenance they’ve been accustomed to.

VMware explains the SDDC as the foundation for unified hybrid cloud deployment. “Software-Defined Data Center architecture brings together best-in-class compute, storage, networking virtualization and management offerings. [A] unified hybrid cloud lets you rapidly develop, automatically deliver and manage all of your enterprise applications, no matter where they reside, from one, unified platform.” To learn more about the components of the Software Defined Data Center, read this blog post.

3 Benefits of the Software-Defined Data Center

SDDC offers organizations the best features of both the cloud and the traditional on-premise network. Today we will explore 3 of the many benefits an SDDC provides.

42% of organizations already have or are planning to move to a software defined data center.

1. SDDC Eliminates Hardware Dependency

SDDC allows for the elimination of proprietary hardware dependency; this is one of the benefits that the cloud provides. Think of the transition to a Software Defined Data Center like the self-driving car of the future. Just as the is no longer dependent on floor pedals, the SDDC is no longer dependent on the command line interface. Just as we won’t have to learn how to drive in the future, the SDDC will negate the need for expensive training to learn highly specialized vendor hardware because all hardware will be commoditized. In addition, this new approach will liberate the IT department so that it can focus on innovative projects that add value to the organization and its bottom line. However, unlike the self-driving car, we can reap the benefits of SDDC today.

2. SDDC Simplifies Data Center Management

Rather than using multiple IT tools, apps and software to manage the complex technology challenges facing IT leaders today, SDDC allows organizations to manage everything with the click of a button. Data can be monitored, systems can be updated and storage resources can be allocated from a single pane of glass.

3. SDDC Provides Benefits of Automation and Orchestration

Instead of hurdling through complex IT services, the SDDC can improve any workflow by providing repeatable solutions. SDDC is characterized by automation, orchestration and the abstraction of resources into software code. By nature, software is more reliable than humans, which means that compared to the legacy data center, the SDDC is more agile and responsive in all measures. Overcoming any software defined data center challenges isn’t as challenging as some would think.

defines SDDC as, “An abstracted and pooled set of shared resources. But the secret sauce is in the automation that slices up and allocates those shared resources on-demand, without manual tinkering.”

Enterprises are quickly recognizing the value of automation. According to one recent report via Business Wire, the SDDC market will grow at a compound annual rate of 28.8 percent between 2015 and 2020, growing from $21.78 billion to $77.18 billion by 2020.

Our engineers have the knowledge and experience to help identify and implement the right solutions for your software defined data center. If your company has identified an initiative to transition to SDDC, we recommend reading our white paper, .

Sources:
1. IDG Research commissioned by 疯情AV February 23, 2016.

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“Software Defined Data Center is where all the complexity in configuring and changing all the individual elements is abstracted to a single control level where you can make those changes with the single press of a button.”

– Chris Coggrave, HP chief technologist and strategist for data center consulting

The Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) represents a giant leap forward in technology, as impactful as when isolated networks originally congregated to form the internet. The creation of data centers from a combination of hardware and intelligent software in multiple locations allows organizations to connect, collaborate and configure their IT resources in ways they never have before. What exactly is SDDC? First let’s take a look at the solutions that make up the SDDC.

IT pros should embrace the five components that make up the Software Defined Enterprise. These are Software Defined Computing (SDC), Software Defined Networking (SDN), Software Defined Storage (SDS), Automation Orchestration and Management. These solutions help IT managers break free from the exhausting and endless cycle of upgrades and new hardware additions that legacy systems require. Here’s a look into each component.

Software Defined Computing: The beginning of the SDDC revolution, (SDC) started with the promise of lower costs in the IT environment. It was here that we learned the true potential of virtualization to offer ease and flexibility, the benefits of going green and reducing the carbon footprint of technology. Virtualizing the computer environment led to the beginning of cloud computing, which became the perfect place to house virtual machines. This was when the industry learned that the traditional hardware defined data center was highly limited and restricted many day-to-day processes.

Software Defined Networking: In order to host applications, computer virtualization provides the environment to do so. Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a new IT paradigm that separates the control plane from the data plane of devices. Instead of configuring hardware, IT pros configure software that serves to orchestrate the system. This solves many of the problems legacy systems face which require separate interface sessions to configure and require a human to manage the system as a whole. Now, we can do so with a single data switch. In addition, the IT department can use SDN to overcome network usage bottlenecks and control network utilization as varying needs fluctuate among users in the business.

Software Defined Storage: One of the existing IT problems is that the high cost of the traditional storage array prohibits the low cost virtual plane. What businesses then need is a storage model which employs inexpensive storage that is redundant, not due to its intricate hardware, but because of its adaptability and automation that can only be achieved through software. This is what (SDS) is all about. It makes virtualized volumes that span across multiple storage hosts throughout the enterprise. Unlike the traditional storage array, it’s not the stoutness of the hardware that protects the data, but the fluid adaptability of its design.

Automation Orchestration: Automation within the network means having the ability to react to real time conditions within the network itself. It’s about readiness and agility in the IT environment.

Management: Amazing things can happen when you combine a software defined enterprise with an automated orchestrator. Like SDS that offers simplicity over the external array, management is greatly simplified in the software defined network. The knowledge base of the IT staff is no longer a limiting factor as management is done through a single window that doesn’t require much specialized training.

Benefits of SDDC

Applications are transforming and the legacy systems of the past. They are not only mobile by nature, but they support the increased workloads current organizations demand. In addition, since big data can be so useful for enterprises, implementing SDDC can help streamline the data collection process and offer flexibility in monitoring and measuring results.

The benefits of implementing the Software Defined Data Center are accuracy, adaptability, agility, alignment and assurance (among many others) and we refer to these as the 5 A’s. Most organizations have experienced these on some type of scale working within virtualized computer environments, but few if any have experienced these benefits across all facets and endpoints of the enterprise. Learn more about the .

The Cloud vs. SDDC

Since SDDC is a newer concept to many organizations, many confuse the Software Defined Data Center with the cloud. Are they the same? According to InfoWorld, “Not really think of the cloud as a marketing term for application, platform or infrastructure services that internal or external customers procure on demand through web forms. The Software Defined Data Center is the mechanism through which those cloud services can be delivered most efficiently.”

Learn more about the software defined data center and how to manage it in our white paper, .

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