So what is hyper converged computing? And what does it mean for IT departments? Traditionally, separate, soloed systems and teams handle storage, servers and the network. A hyper-converged infrastructure appliance (HCIA), on the other hand, integrates computer, networking, storage, software and management into a single software-defined module.
Scale and ease of management
This massively simplifies what is often a highly complex infrastructure environment. The HCIA provides one system controlled through a ‘single pane of glass’, dramatically reducing the time and number of employees needed to manage all the different elements. With one vendor for multiple components, there’s only one source of support too.
With a hyper converged computing model, it’s much easier to scale out. Instead of adding more memory, CPUs or storage drives, more appliances are added as the organisation’s needs grow.
Deploy virtual machines in minutes
Dell’s HCIAs are optimised precisely for desktop virtualisation. Based on Dell’s leading PowerEdge servers and powered by VMware’s virtualisation software, these efficient and tightly integrated appliances let organisations roll out virtual machines in minutes instead of hours or days.
The pre-configured appliances are extremely simple to implement and scale, and provide predictable performance for every single user irrespective of organisation size.
This complete VDI environment incorporates a full set of management and monitoring tools, and is ideal for organisations that need to directly link infrastructure investments with the number of virtualised users. Zero Downtime Upgrade and Patch Management allow upgrades and patches to be rolled out without disruption to users.
Hyper converged computing and desktop virtualisation
Hyper converged computing has big implications for the success of desktop virtualisation and virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs).
Hyper converged computing declutters and simplifies the virtual desktop infrastructure, cutting out unnecessary components, and allows for extremely fast roll-outs. Pre-configured HCIAs remove the need for complex configuration and virtually eliminate deployment errors, reducing the risk of making changes to the infrastructure.
The ability to add extra appliances makes it possible to accommodate new users fast, without sacrificing management control. The modular approach also allows the technology to be trialled and then extended to the whole organisation without scalability headaches.
Since HCIAs are configured to provide the best possible performance, this approach helps to remove the barrier of poor user experience that VDIs often face. Managing the desktop environment also becomes easier and less labour-intensive.
Updates, patches, configuration and security can be handled centrally, instead of IT staff needing to visit each PC individually.
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