How to backup hyperconverged infrastructure

Enterprises running hypervisors on hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) systems typically have backup options available to them that are not available to those running on generic hardware. Such customers may also have additional backup challenges depending on the HCI vendor and hypervisor they have chosen. Let’s take a look.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Transforming Data Management by Modernized Storage Solutions Using HCI

Article | October 3, 2023

Revolutionize data management with HCI: Unveil the modernized storage solutions and implementation strategies for enhanced efficiency, scalability, sustainable growth and future-ready performance. Contents 1. Introduction to Modernized Storage Solutions and HCI 2. Software-Defined Storage in HCI 3. Benefits of Modern Storage HCI in Data Management 3.1 Data Security and Privacy in HCI Storage 3.2 Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Integration 3.3 Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Data Management 4. Implementation Strategies for Modern Storage HCI 4.1 Workload Analysis 4.2 Software-Defined Storage 4.3 Advanced Networking 4.4 Data Tiering and Caching 4.5 Continuous Monitoring and Optimization 5. Future Trends in HCI Storage and Data Management 1. Introduction to Modernized Storage Solutions and HCI Modern businesses face escalating data volumes, necessitating efficient and scalable storage solutions. Modernized storage solutions, such as HCI, integrate computing, networking, and storage resources into a unified system, streamlining operations and simplifying data management. By embracing modernized storage solutions and HCI, organizations can unlock numerous benefits, including enhanced agility, simplified management, improved performance, robust data protection, and optimized costs. As technology evolves, leveraging these solutions will be instrumental in achieving competitive advantages and future-proofing the organization's IT infrastructure. 2. Software-Defined Storage in HCI By embracing software-defined storage in HCI, organizations can benefit from simplified storage management, scalability, improved performance, cost efficiency, and seamless integration with hybrid cloud environments. These advantages empower businesses to optimize their storage infrastructure, increase agility, and effectively manage growing data demands, ultimately driving success in the digital era. Software-defined storage in HCI revolutionizes traditional, hardware-based storage arrays by replacing them with virtualized storage resources managed through software. This centralized approach simplifies data storage management, allowing IT teams to allocate and oversee storage resources efficiently. With software-defined storage, organizations can seamlessly scale their storage infrastructure as needed without the complexities associated with traditional hardware setups. By abstracting storage from physical hardware, software-defined storage brings greater agility and flexibility to the storage infrastructure, enabling organizations to adapt quickly to changing business demands. Software-defined storage in HCI empowers organizations with seamless data mobility, allowing for the smooth movement of workloads and data across various infrastructure environments, including private and public clouds. This flexibility enables organizations to implement hybrid cloud strategies, leveraging the advantages of both on-premises and cloud environments. With software-defined storage, data migration, replication, and synchronization between different data storage locations become simplified tasks. This simplification enhances data availability and accessibility, facilitating efficient data management across other storage platforms and enabling organizations to make the most of their hybrid cloud deployments. 3. Benefits of Modern Storage HCI in Data Management Software-defined storage HCI simplifies hybrid and multi-cloud data management. Its single platform lets enterprises easily move workloads and data between on-premises infrastructure, private clouds, and public clouds. The centralized management interface of software-defined storage HCI ensures comprehensive data governance, unifies control, ensures compliance, and improves visibility across the data management ecosystem, complementing this flexibility and scalability optimization. 3.1 Data Security and Privacy in HCI Storage Modern software-defined storage HCI solutions provide robust data security measures, including encryption, access controls, and secure replication. By centralizing storage management through software-defined storage, organizations can implement consistent security policies across all storage resources, minimizing the risk of data breaches. HCI platforms offer built-in features such as snapshots, replication, and disaster recovery capabilities, ensuring data integrity, business continuity, and resilience against potential threats. 3.2 Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Integration These HCI platforms seamlessly integrate with data analytics and business intelligence tools, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions. By consolidating storage, compute, and analytics capabilities, HCI minimizes data movement and latency, enhancing the efficiency of data analysis processes. The scalable architecture of software-defined storage HCI supports processing large data volumes, accelerating data analytics, predictive modeling, and facilitating data-driven strategies for enhanced operational efficiency and competitiveness. 3.3 Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Data Management Software-defined storage HCI simplifies hybrid and multi-cloud data management by providing a unified platform for seamless data movement across different environments. Organizations can easily migrate workloads and data between on-premises infrastructure, private clouds, and public clouds, optimizing flexibility and scalability. The centralized management interface of software-defined storage HCI enables consistent data governance, ensuring control, compliance, and visibility across the entire data management ecosystem. 4. Implementation Strategies for Modern Storage Using HCI 4.1 Workload Analysis A comprehensive workload analysis is essential before embarking on an HCI implementation journey. Start by thoroughly assessing the organization's workloads, delving into factors like application performance requirements, data access patterns, and peak usage times. Prioritize workloads based on their criticality to business operations, ensuring that those directly impacting revenue or customer experiences are addressed first. 4.2 Software-Defined Storage Software-defined storage (SDS) offers flexibility and abstraction of storage resources from hardware. SDS solutions are often vendor-agnostic, enabling organizations to choose storage hardware that aligns best with their needs. Scalability is a hallmark of SDS, as it can easily adapt to accommodate growing data volumes and evolving performance requirements. Adopt SDS for a wide range of data services, including snapshots, deduplication, compression, and automated tiering, all of which enhance storage efficiency. 4.3 Advanced Networking Leverage Software-Defined Networking technologies within the HCI environment to enhance agility, optimize network resource utilization, and support dynamic workload migrations. Implementing network segmentation allows organizations to isolate different workload types or security zones within the HCI infrastructure, bolstering security and compliance. Quality of Service (QoS) controls come into play to prioritize network traffic based on specific application requirements, ensuring optimal performance for critical workloads. 4.4 Data Tiering and Caching Intelligent data tiering and caching strategies play a pivotal role in optimizing storage within the HCI environment. These strategies automate the movement of data between different storage tiers based on usage patterns, ensuring that frequently accessed data resides on high-performance storage while less-accessed data is placed on lower-cost storage. Caching techniques, such as read and write caching, accelerate data access by storing frequently accessed data on high-speed storage media. Consider hybrid storage configurations, combining solid-state drives (SSDs) for caching and traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) for cost-effective capacity storage. 4.5 Continuous Monitoring and Optimization Implement real-time monitoring tools to provide visibility into the HCI environment's performance, health, and resource utilization, allowing IT teams to address potential issues proactively. Predictive analytics come into play to forecast future resource requirements and identify potential bottlenecks before they impact performance. Resource balancing mechanisms automatically allocate compute, storage, and network resources to workloads based on demand, ensuring efficient resource utilization. Continuous capacity monitoring and planning help organizations avoid resource shortages in anticipation of future growth. 5. Future Trends in HCI Storage and Data Management Modernized storage solutions using HCI have transformed data management practices, revolutionizing how organizations store, protect, and utilize their data. HCI offers a centralized and software-defined approach to storage, simplifying management, improving scalability, and enhancing operational efficiency. The abstraction of storage from physical hardware grants organizations greater agility and flexibility in their storage infrastructure, adapting to evolving business needs. With HCI, organizations implement consistent security policies across their storage resources, reducing the risk of data breaches and ensuring data integrity. This flexibility empowers organizations to optimize resource utilization scale as needed. This drives informed decision-making, improves operational efficiency, and fosters data-driven strategies for organizational growth. The future of Hyper-Converged Infrastructure storage and data management promises exciting advancements that will revolutionize the digital landscape. As edge computing gains momentum, HCI solutions will adapt to support edge deployments, enabling organizations to process and analyze data closer to the source. Composable infrastructure will enable organizations to build flexible and adaptive IT infrastructures, dynamically allocating compute, storage, and networking resources as needed. Data governance and compliance will be paramount, with HCI platforms providing robust data classification, encryption, and auditability features to ensure regulatory compliance. Optimized hybrid and multi-cloud integration will enable seamless data mobility, empowering organizations to leverage the benefits of different cloud environments. By embracing these, organizations can unlock the full potential of HCI storage and data management, driving innovation and achieving sustainable growth in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Application Infrastructure

Adapting to Changing Landscape: Challenges and Solutions in HCI

Article | July 19, 2023

Navigating the complex terrain of Hyper-Converged Infrastructure: Unveiling the best practices and innovative strategies to harness the maximum benefits of HCI for transformation of business. Contents 1. Introduction to Hyper-Converged Infrastructure 1.1 Evolution and adoption of HCI 1.2 Importance of Adapting to the Changing HCI Environment 2. Challenges in HCI 2.1 Integration & Compatibility: Legacy System Integration 2.2 Efficient Lifecycle: Firmware & Software Management 2.3 Resource Forecasting: Scalability Planning 2.4 Workload Segregation: Performance Optimization 2.5 Latency Optimization: Data Access Efficiency 3. Solutions for Adapting to Changing HCI Landscape 3.1 Interoperability 3.2 Lifecycle Management 3.3 Capacity Planning 3.4 Performance Isolation 3.5 Data Locality 4. Importance of Ongoing Adaptation in the HCI Domain 4.1 Evolving Technology 4.2 Performance Optimization 4.3 Scalability and Flexibility 4.4 Security and Compliance 4.5 Business Transformation 5. Key Takeaways from the Challenges and Solutions Discussed 1. Introduction to Hyper-Converged Infrastructure 1.1 Evolution and adoption of HCI Hyper-Converged Infrastructure has transformed by providing a consolidated and software-defined approach to data center infrastructure. HCI combines virtualization, storage, and networking into a single integrated system, simplifying management and improving scalability. It has gained widespread adoption due to its ability to address the challenges of data center consolidation, virtualization, and resource efficiency. HCI solutions have evolved to offer advanced features like hybrid and multi-cloud support, data deduplication, and disaster recovery, making them suitable for various workloads. The HCI market has experienced significant growth, with a diverse ecosystem of vendors offering turnkey appliances and software-defined solutions. It has become the preferred infrastructure for running workloads like VDI, databases, and edge computing. HCI's ability to simplify operations, improve resource utilization, and support diverse workloads ensures its continued relevance. 1.2 Importance of Adapting to the Changing HCI Environment Adapting to the changing Hyper-Converged Infrastructure is of utmost importance for businesses, as it offers a consolidated and software-defined approach to IT infrastructure, enabling streamlined management, improved scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Staying up-to-date with evolving HCI technologies and trends ensures businesses to leverage the latest advancements for optimizing their operations. Embracing HCI enables organizations to enhance resource utilization, accelerate deployment times, and support a wide range of workloads. In accordance with enhancement, it facilitates seamless integration with emerging technologies like hybrid and multi-cloud environments, containerization, and data analytics. Businesses can stay competitive, enhance their agility, and unlock the full potential of their IT infrastructure. 2. Challenges in HCI 2.1 Integration and Compatibility: Legacy System Integration Integrating Hyper-Converged Infrastructure with legacy systems can be challenging due to differences in architecture, protocols, and compatibility issues. Existing legacy systems may not seamlessly integrate with HCI solutions, leading to potential disruptions, data silos, and operational inefficiencies. This may hinder the organization's ability to fully leverage the benefits of HCI and limit its potential for streamlined operations and cost savings. 2.2 Efficient Lifecycle: Firmware and Software Management Managing firmware and software updates across the HCI infrastructure can be complex and time-consuming. Ensuring that all components within the HCI stack, including compute, storage, and networking, are running the latest firmware and software versions is crucial for security, performance, and stability. However, coordinating and applying updates across the entire infrastructure can pose challenges, resulting in potential vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, and suboptimal system performance. 2.3 Resource Forecasting: Scalability Planning Forecasting resource requirements and planning for scalability in an HCI environment is as crucial as efficiently implementing HCI systems. As workloads grow or change, accurately predicting the necessary computing, storage, and networking resources becomes essential. Without proper resource forecasting and scalability planning, organizations may face underutilization or overprovisioning of resources, leading to increased costs, performance bottlenecks, or inefficient resource allocation. 2.4 Workload Segregation: Performance Optimization In an HCI environment, effectively segregating workloads to optimize performance can be challenging. Workloads with varying resource requirements and performance characteristics may coexist within the HCI infrastructure. Ensuring that high-performance workloads receive the necessary resources and do not impact other workloads' performance is critical. Failure to segregate workloads properly can result in resource contention, degraded performance, and potential bottlenecks, affecting the overall efficiency and user experience. 2.5 Latency Optimization: Data Access Efficiency Optimizing data access latency in an HCI environment is a rising challenge. HCI integrates computing and storage into a unified system, and data access latency can significantly impact performance. Inefficient data retrieval and processing can lead to increased response times, reduced user satisfaction, and potential productivity losses. Failure to ensure the data access patterns, caching mechanisms, and optimized network configurations to minimize latency and maximize data access efficiency within the HCI infrastructure leads to such latency. 3. Solutions for Adapting to Changing HCI Landscape 3.1 Interoperability Achieved by: Standards-based Integration and API HCI solutions should prioritize adherence to industry standards and provide robust support for APIs. By leveraging standardized protocols and APIs, HCI can seamlessly integrate with legacy systems, ensuring compatibility and smooth data flow between different components. This promotes interoperability, eliminates data silos, and enables organizations to leverage their existing infrastructure investments while benefiting from the advantages of HCI. 3.2 Lifecycle Management Achieved by: Centralized Firmware and Software Management Efficient Lifecycle Management in Hyper-Converged Infrastructure can be achieved by implementing a centralized management system that automates firmware and software updates across the HCI infrastructure. This solution streamlines the process of identifying, scheduling, and deploying updates, ensuring that all components are running the latest versions. Centralized management reduces manual efforts, minimizes the risk of compatibility issues, and enhances security, stability, and overall system performance. 3.3 Capacity Planning Achieved by: Analytics-driven Resource Forecasting HCI solutions should incorporate analytics-driven capacity planning capabilities. By analyzing historical and real-time data, HCI systems can accurately predict resource requirements and assist organizations in scaling their infrastructure proactively. This solution enables efficient resource utilization, avoids underprovisioning or overprovisioning, and optimizes cost savings while ensuring that performance demands are met. 3.4 Performance Isolation Achieved by: Quality of Service and Resource Allocation Policies To achieve effective workload segregation and performance optimization, HCI solutions should provide robust Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms and flexible resource allocation policies. QoS settings allow organizations to prioritize critical workloads, allocate resources based on predefined policies, and enforce performance guarantees for specific applications or users. This solution ensures that high-performance workloads receive the necessary resources while preventing resource contention and performance degradation for other workloads. 3.5 Data Locality Achieved by: Data Tiering and Caching Mechanisms Addressing latency optimization and data access efficiency, HCI solutions must incorporate data tiering and caching mechanisms. By intelligently placing frequently accessed data closer to the compute resources, such as utilizing flash storage or caching algorithms, HCI systems can minimize data access latency and improve overall performance. This solution enhances data locality, reduces network latency, and ensures faster data retrieval, resulting in optimized application response times and improved user experience. 4. Importance of Ongoing Adaptation in the HCI Domain continuous adaptation is of the utmost importance in the HCI domain. HCI is a swiftly advancing technology that continues to provide new capabilities. Organizations are able to maximize the benefits of HCI and maintain a competitive advantage if they stay apprised of the most recent advancements and adapt to the changing environment. Here are key reasons highlighting the significance of ongoing adaptation in the HCI domain: 4.1 Evolving Technology HCI is constantly changing, with new features, functionalities, and enhancements being introduced regularly. Ongoing adaptation allows organizations to take advantage of these advancements and incorporate them into their infrastructure. It ensures that businesses stay up-to-date with the latest technological trends and can make informed decisions to optimize their HCI deployments. 4.2 Performance Optimization Continuous adaptation enables organizations to fine-tune their HCI environments for optimal performance. By staying informed about performance best practices and emerging optimization techniques, businesses can make necessary adjustments to maximize resource utilization, improve workload performance, and enhance overall system efficiency. Ongoing adaptation ensures that HCI deployments are continuously optimized to meet evolving business requirements. 4.3 Scalability and Flexibility Adapting to the changing HCI landscape facilitates scalability and flexibility. As business needs evolve, organizations may require the ability to scale their infrastructure, accommodate new workloads, or adopt hybrid or multi-cloud environments. Ongoing adaptation allows businesses to assess and implement the necessary changes to their HCI deployments, ensuring they can seamlessly scale and adapt to evolving demands. 4.4 Security and Compliance The HCI domain is not immune to security threats and compliance requirements. Ongoing adaptation helps organizations stay vigilant and up-to-date with the latest security practices, threat landscapes, and regulatory changes. It enables businesses to implement robust security measures, proactively address vulnerabilities, and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulations. Ongoing adaptation ensures that HCI deployments remain secure and compliant in the face of evolving cybersecurity challenges. 4.5 Business Transformation Ongoing adaptation in the HCI domain supports broader business transformation initiatives. Organizations undergoing digital transformation may need to adopt new technologies, integrate with cloud services, or embrace emerging trends like edge computing. Adapting the HCI infrastructure allows businesses to align their IT infrastructure with strategic objectives, enabling seamless integration, improved agility, and the ability to capitalize on emerging opportunities. The adaptation is thus crucial in the HCI domain as it enables organizations to stay current with technological advancements, optimize performance, scale infrastructure, enhance security, and align with business transformation initiatives. By continuously adapting to the evolving HCI, businesses can maximize the value and benefits derived from their HCI investments. 5. Key Takeaways from Challenges and Solutions Discussed Hyper-Converged Infrastructure poses several challenges during the implementation and execution of systems that organizations need to address for optimal performance. Integration and compatibility issues arise when integrating HCI with legacy systems, requiring standards-based integration and API support. Efficient lifecycle management is crucial, involving centralized firmware and software management to automate updates and enhance security and stability. Accurate resource forecasting is vital for capacity planning, enabling organizations to scale their HCI infrastructure effectively. Workload segregation demands QOS mechanisms and flexible resource allocation policies to optimize performance. Apart from these, latency optimization requires data tiering and caching mechanisms to minimize data access latency and improve application response times. By tackling these challenges and implementing appropriate solutions, businesses can harness the full potential of HCI, streamlining operations, maximizing resource utilization, and ensuring exceptional performance and user experience.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

How Managed Service Providers Drive Management in HCI

Article | October 10, 2023

Driving excellence in HCI: Unveil the crucial role of managed service providers in deploying and managing Hyper-Converged Infrastructure for optimal performance and efficiency for smooth functioning. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Role of MSPs in Deployment of HCI 3. Role of MSPs in HCI’s Management 4. Key Areas Where MSPs Help Drive Efficient HCI 4.1. Expert Deployment and Configuration 4.2. Proactive Monitoring and Management 4.3. Performance Optimization 4.4. Security and Compliance 4.5. Patch Management and Upgrades 4.6. Scalability and Flexibility 4.7. Cost Optimization 4.8. 24/7 Support and Incident Management 5. Takeaway 1. Introduction Fundamentally, a hyper-converged infrastructure comprises virtual computing, virtual hyperconverged network, and virtual SAB. However, deploying this infrastructure is a complex procedure that requires skill and attention. A managed service provider (MSP) can assist a business in implementing hyper-converged infrastructure. These are service providers that specialize in managing and maintaining hyper-converged infrastructure environments on behalf of businesses. They offer proactive monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting services to ensure optimal performance & availability and management excellence in HCI. 2. Role of MSPs in Deployment of HCI Managed service providers play a crucial role in the successful deployment of Hyperconverged Infrastructure. With their expertise and experience, MSPs assist businesses in planning and designing the optimal HCI solution tailored to their needs. They manage the integration of hardware and software components, ensuring compatibility and seamless integration into the existing IT infrastructure. MSPs handle data migration and transition, minimizing downtime and data loss. They also optimize performance by fine-tuning configurations and resource allocations to achieve optimal HCI operation. MSPs prioritize security and compliance, implementing robust measures to protect sensitive data and ensure regulatory compliance. They provide ongoing management and support, monitoring system health, performing maintenance, and addressing issues promptly. MSPs enable scalability and future-proofing, helping businesses scale their HCI environment as needed and ensuring flexibility for future technology advancements and changes in business requirements. Broadly, MSPs bring their specialized knowledge and services to navigate the complexities of HCI deployment, enabling businesses to maximize the benefits of this transformative HCI technology. 3. Role of MSPs in HCI’s Management Managed service providers play a crucial role in the effective management of HCI. MSPs offer a range of services to ensure the optimal performance and security of HCI environments. They proactively monitor and maintain the HCI infrastructure, identifying and addressing issues before they impact operations. MSPs specialize in performance optimization, fine-tuning configurations, and implementing load balancing techniques to maximize efficiency. They prioritize security and compliance by implementing robust measures and assisting with data backup and disaster recovery strategies. MSPs also assist with capacity planning and scalability, ensuring resources are efficiently allocated and businesses can adapt to changing demands. They provide 24/7 support, troubleshooting services, and comprehensive reporting and analytics for HCI management excellence. Additionally, MSPs handle vendor management, simplifying interactions with hardware and software providers. Overall, MSPs enable businesses to effectively manage their HCI environments, ensuring smooth operations, optimal performance, and security. 4. Key Areas Where MSPs Help Drive Efficient HCI Managed Service Providersplay a crucial role in driving deployment and management excellence in Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) environments. HCI combines storage, compute, and networking into a single, software-defined platform, simplifying data center operations. Here's how MSPs contribute to HCI excellence: 1. Expert Deployment and Configuration MSPs possess deep expertise in HCI deployments. They understand the complexities of hardware, software, and networking integration required for optimal HCI implementation. MSPs ensure proper configuration, capacity planning, and performance tuning to maximize HCI efficiency and meet specific business needs. 2. Proactive Monitoring and Management MSPs provide proactive monitoring and management services, continuously monitoring the HCI environment to detect issues and resolve them before they impact performance or availability. They leverage advanced monitoring tools and technologies to monitor resource utilization, network connectivity, and storage performance, ensuring optimal HCI operation. 3. Performance Optimization MSPs specialize in fine-tuning HCI performance. They analyze workloads, assess resource requirements, and optimize configurations to ensure optimal performance and scalability. Through proactive capacity planning and performance optimization techniques, MSPs help businesses extract the maximum value from their HCI investment. 4. Security and Compliance MSPs prioritize security and compliance in HCI environments. They implement robust security measures, such as encryption, access controls, and threat detection systems, to protect critical data and ensure compliance with industry regulations. MSPs also assist businesses in implementing data backup and disaster recovery strategies to safeguard against potential data loss or system failures. 5. Patch Management and Upgrades MSPs handle patch management and upgrades in HCI environments. They ensure that the HCI platform stays up to date with the latest security patches and software updates, minimizing vulnerabilities and ensuring hyperconverged system stability. MSPs coordinate and execute seamless upgrades, minimizing disruptions and maintaining optimal HCI performance. 6. Scalability and Flexibility MSPs help businesses scale and adapt their HCI environments to meet changing demands. They assess growth requirements, optimize resource allocation, and implement expansion strategies to accommodate evolving business needs. MSPs enable businesses to scale their HCI infrastructure seamlessly without compromising performance or availability. 7. Cost Optimization MSPs assist in optimizing costs associated with HCI deployments. They evaluate resource utilization, identify inefficiencies, and implement cost-saving measures, such as workload consolidation and resource allocation optimization. MSPs help businesses achieve maximum return on investment by aligning HCI infrastructure with specific business objectives. 8. 24/7 Support and Incident Management MSPs offer round-the-clock support and incident management for HCI environments. They provide timely resolution of issues, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operation. MSPs also offer help desk services, ticket management, and proactive troubleshooting to address any challenges that arise in the HCI environment. 5. Takeaway The future of managed service providers is promising and dynamic. MSPs will continue to enhance their specialized expertise in HCI, offering comprehensive support for businesses' HCI environments. They will expand their services to include end-to-end managed hyperconverged solutions, covering deployment, ongoing management, performance optimization, and security. Automation and orchestration will play a significant role as MSPs leverage these technologies to streamline operations and improve efficiency. MSPs will also focus on strengthening security and compliance measures, integrating HCI with cloud services, and continuously innovating to stay ahead in the HCI landscape. Broadly, MSPs will be vital partners for businesses seeking to maximize the benefits of HCI while ensuring smooth operations and staying competitive in the digital era. MSPs in HCI offer specialized expertise, managed services, automation, AI-driven analytics, enhanced security and compliance, integration with hyper converged cloud services, and continuous innovation. Their services will cover the entire lifecycle of HCI, from deployment to ongoing management and optimization. MSPs will leverage automation and AI technologies to streamline operations, enhance security, and provide proactive monitoring and maintenance. They will assist businesses in integrating HCI with cloud services, ensuring scalability and flexibility. MSPs will continuously innovate to adapt to emerging technologies and industry trends, supporting businesses in harnessing the full potential of HCI and achieving their digital transformation goals.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

HCI Adoption Strategies for Successful Implementation in B2B Markets

Article | September 14, 2023

Unveil the Hyperconverged Infrastructure adoption strategies, build an effective HCI implementation plan and align them with businesses of all sizes. Know leading companies for HCI adoption. Contents 1. Introduction to HCI in B2B Markets 2. Evaluating HCI Readiness for B2B Organizations 2.1. Identifying Business Use Cases for HCI Implementation 2.2. Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration 3. Building an Effective HCI Implementation Plan 3.1. Implementation of Managed Service Providers 4. Aligning HCI Strategy with Business Objectives 4.1. Integration and Compatibility with Existing Systems 4.2. HCI and Cloud Integration: Hybrid and Multi-Cloud for HCI 5. Top HCI Companies to Improve Cloud Management & Data Security Solutions 5.1. Virtual Tech Gurus 5.2. CTC Global 5.3. Winslow Technology Group 5.4. Internetwork Engineering 5.5. Eastern Computer Exchange 6. Maximizing Business Value through HCI in B2B Markets 1. Introduction to HCI in B2B Markets HCI, a software-defined solution that organizes and abstracts networking, CPU, memory, and storage devices as resource pools, utilizing commodity x86-based hardware and virtualization software, enables the administrator to combine and provision these resources as virtual machines and independent storage resources such as network-attached storage (NAS) filers and object stores. Organizations face numerous infrastructure difficulties. They frequently receive urgent demands from the business to keep their organization agile and proactive while implementing new digital transformation initiatives. For many organizations, a cloud-only IT strategy is not a viable option; as a result, there is a growing interest in hybrid scenarios that offer the best of both realms. Hyperconvergence makes administration much easier, enabling management of all aspects of infrastructure from one place while reducing complexity by removing compatibility problems between multiple vendors. AllHyperconvergedInfrastructure offerings serve as the foundation for on-premises infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) by unifying and integrating computing and storage as fundamental HCI technology infrastructure services. The global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure market size was valued at USD 4805.24 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 26.53% during the forecast period, reaching USD 19719.08 million by 2028. 2. Evaluating HCI Readiness for B2B Organizations 2.1. Identifying Business Use Cases for HCI Implementation Software-Defined Data Center: Businesses face challenges due to surging market costs, increased competition, and the need for improved business agility. Scaling data centers and managing the addition of new resources pose a concern for an efficient workforce and time consumption. HCI is a key component of the Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) strategy for centralizing business operations. SDDC abstracts hardware resources, enables policy-driven automation for resource allocation, and manages data resulting in an agile, pooled, automated data center environment. High-Performance Computing: As technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and three-dimensional imaging advance, the size and quantity of data that organizations must manage grow exponentially. Here, High-Performance Computing (HPC) comes into play, which employs clusters of powerful processors operating in parallel to process massive multidimensional datasets (big data) and solve intricate complexities at extremely high rates. It is fueled not only by rising demands but also by the prevalence of RDMA networking with reduced latency and higher throughput, as well as the widespread availability of public and private cloud HPCaaS. Software-Defined Networking Integration: Business requirements require quick responses from enterprises and service providers to improve network control. Like storage, software-defined networking (SDN) virtualizes networking functions within a hyperconverged infrastructure. It creates a centrally managed and programmable network by separating network forwarding functions from network control functions. It allows for the centralized administration of networking devices and facilitates the automation of network devices and evaluating HCI solutions for business-specific needs. 2.2. Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration A modern hyper converged data center supports growing workloads while keeping a check on capital and operating expenses. This paves the way for a simplified transition to a hybrid cloud that allows for scalable performance, streamlined administration, and enhanced orchestration. It delivers rapid deployment, orchestration, management, and monitoring of containerized environments, allowing focus on running businesses instead of infrastructure. This functionality enables IT departments to find a middle ground between empowering developers to choose their own containerized infrastructure and meeting the demands of service-level agreements in terms of reliability and availability. The secure integration and smarter work are done through the use of open, extensible features that interface seamlessly with third-party platforms and applications to automate lifecycle operations and enable consistency and governance. It allows teams to intelligently visualize, optimize, and orchestrate the entire infrastructure and set of apps. 3. Building an Effective HCI Implementation Plan 3.1. Implementation of Managed Service Providers Typically, the implementation ofmanaged service providers(MSPs) takes about 90-120 days, depending on the readiness of the organizations. Meet the core subject matter experts in procurement to perform an organizational analysis and assessment. Document current-state processes and policies helping identify the ROI for organizations. Conduct an in-depth organizational assessment to capture operational and cultural requirements, adjusting the core implementation methodology. Perform testing, configuration, and system design. Carry out build & unit testing and user acceptance testing. 4. Aligning HCI Strategy with Business Objectives 4.1. Integration and Compatibility with Existing Systems Business applications and specific technologies, including third-party services and service-level contracts, require HCI. Businesses use cloud-based ERP and CRM applications. Before choosing an HCI solution, decision-makers should consider if the hyperconverged infrastructure supports business application back-end systems. Containers and other workload-supporting technologies are equally significant. Multiple cloud services power businesses. Even if they run their cloud systems, they may use third-party disaster recovery or identity and access management (IAM) services. Decision-makers must ensure that the chosen HCI can integrate with these other services without extra steps. 4.2. HCI and Cloud Integration: Hybrid and Multi-Cloud for Hyperconverged Infrastructure According toNutanix, 91% of IT decision-makers who consider hybrid cloud the ideal IT model for organizations. Hybrid cloud is prevalent for comparable reasons. This architecture provides a comprehensive range of public and private cloud-based computing, storage, and services. Many organizations are discovering that integrating these technology trends can yield substantial benefits. By implementing HCI for their hybrid clouds, businesses are better equipped to address a variety of IT challenges, such as distributed workforces resulting in distributed data. As businesses increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies, utilizing multiple public cloud services with private cloud or on-premises infrastructure becomes increasingly crucial. HCI simplifies multi-cloud management by reducing the difficulty of tracking resources, managing security, and optimizing performance across various cloud environments. To assure compatibility between the HCI platform and different cloud services, network connectivity and data transit speeds management is required, which affects the performance and efficacy of a multi-cloud configuration. Hyperconverged infrastructure and cloud computing complement one another to provide a flexible, efficient, and scalable IT infrastructure that can adapt to the ever-changing requirements of businesses. Educating employees about hyperconverged technology, throughHCI certifications and courses,will empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively deploy, manage, and optimize hyperconverged infrastructure, leading to enhanced operational efficiency, streamlined IT management, and the ability to harness the full potential. By comprehending the relationship between HCI and cloud computing, businesses make more informed IT strategy decisions and capitalize on the benefits of both approaches. 5. Top HCI Companies to Improve Cloud Management & Data Security Solutions 5.1. Virtual Tech Gurus Virtual Tech Gurus (VTG), specializes in delivering Hybrid Solutions that seamlessly integrate the advantages of hyperconverged data center and public cloud technologies. It offers various insights, from data center inventory and discovery to user access auditing, cyber and business resiliency assessments, chargeback insights, capacity reporting, and cyber-configuration auditing. Its Cyber-Resolutions services are designed to encompass prevention auditing, response services related to user risks, cyber resiliency assessments, monitoring, and comprehensive incident response. This offers flexible, cost-effective services that translate into tangible business value for customers. VTG bolsters business performance in critical growth-oriented areas by providing consulting and project services across cloud services, data center migration, cloud migration, infrastructure assessment, and staffing. By elevating infrastructure performance, VTG achieves the twin goals of cost reduction and heightened availability, ultimately facilitating the swifter deployment of new services. 5.2. CTC Global CTC Global, a prominent conglomerate, is a pivotal player in the HCI technology landscape. In the current era, enterprises embrace the choice of on-premise cloud networking resources to construct private cloud networks or opt for cloud-based networking resources for hybrid clouds. These cloud networking resources encompass virtual routers, virtual firewalls, HCI network monitoring, and management software, among other tools and functions readily accessible as needed. Its services include orchestrating a targeted response to cyberattacks to curtail their impact on business operations, Establishing an efficient third-party governance program to safeguard against ecosystem-related risks that could undermine business performance, Addressing the intricate digital risk management challenges a dynamic, distributed, and diverse workforce poses, equipping businesses with the knowledge to embed resilience into their day-to-day operations ensures smooth adaptation to the increasingly digital sphere. 5.3. Winslow Technology Group Winslow Technology Group (WTG), a prominent leader in IT solutions offers managed services and cybersecurity services since 2003, consistently delivering exceptional business outcomes to its customers. WTG is committed to facilitating innovation and transformation for its clients' businesses by harnessing the advantages of data center solutions, digital workspace solutions, networking, and cloud infrastructure solutions. WTG serves a broad spectrum of clients, from medium-sized enterprises to Fortune 50 corporations, across diverse market segments, including the public sector, finance, healthcare, insurance, education, manufacturing, and technology. Data center advantages include reduced downtime enhanced security increased efficiency, optimized performance, automation of data centers and downtime & security management. 5.4. Internetwork Engineering Internetwork Engineering (IE) fosters meaningful interactions by connecting individuals to its customers, colleagues, suppliers, patients, citizens, and students. IE is a strategic solution provider catering to mid-market and enterprise clients. Its comprehensive services span consulting, implementation, and operational services, enveloping four validated architectures: collaboration, data centers, intelligent networks, and security. Advancing data protection strategy in the modern landscape encompasses more than mere security and recovery, it extends to data availability, access privileges, and data center considerations. Data protection figures prominently in evaluating storage, backup solutions, network design, and security controls. IE addresses this essential facet with various solutions to ensure seamless business operations such as meeting backup and recovery goals, navigating data center breaches, cyber-attacks, and DDoS attacks, facilitating data replication to remote or cloud data centers, and more. 5.5. Eastern Computer Exchange Eastern Computer Exchange (ECEI), a technology company, boasts an impressive legacy of three decades in the industry. ECEI offers holistic technology solutions, encompassing migrations, consolidations, cloud integrations, and global desktop rollouts. ECEI's specialty solutions encompass a broad spectrum, including private/public/hybrid cloud strategy and implementation, operations managed services, cloud management platform implementation, DevOps strategies with container management and orchestration solutions, hyper-converged infrastructure solutions, and end-user compute modernization solutions. The crucial interplay between network and security is the foundation of ECEI's offerings. Recognizing the inadequacy of traditional detection and blocking defenses, ECEI aligns with the zero trust network architecture (ZTNA) trend, offering valuable expertise for evaluating and orchestrating the migration to ZTNA. 6. Maximizing Business Value through HCI in B2B Markets Hyper-converged infrastructure has emerged as a potent solution that holds the potential to enhance business value. It brings inherent data protection and disaster recovery features, assuring business continuity and upholding the critical trust of B2B partners. Security and compliance are prioritized through integrated measures that safeguard data integrity and adhere to industry regulations. This technology also empowers business agility. Swift deployment and flexibility enable rapid responses to market shifts, thereby boosting hyperconverged market sizes, ensuring B2B enterprises seize emerging opportunities and adapt to evolving customer preferences. By optimizing operations, hyperconverged infrastructure frees up resources that can be allocated to a customer-centric focus, nurturing stronger and more responsive client relationships. As we peer into the future, the trajectory of HCI's influence reveals promising trends and a wide-ranging scope poised to redefine how businesses extract value within B2B environments. One of the prominent trends on the horizon is the deepening integration of HCI architectures into diverse business ecosystems. Furthermore, the burgeoning scope of HCI extends beyond conventional data center management. The forthcoming years are anticipated to witness an increased convergence of HCI with cloud technologies, resulting in a hybridized infrastructure model. Moreover, the integration of HCI aligns harmoniously with the ascent of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. The seamless connectivity and resource optimization offered by HCI are poised to drive transformative shifts in industrial automation, supply chain management, and predictive maintenance, ultimately nurturing enhanced productivity and innovation within B2B sectors.

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Spotlight

Red Dot Distribution Ltd

Progressing towrads to become Fortune 500 company, Red Dot Distribution Ltd , is a Leading IT Distributor in Africa and Middle East.Founded in 2001 by the pioneering Bharwani Group are the first to introduce HP in Eastt africa followed by Samsung.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Application Infrastructure

Nutanix Accelerates Kubernetes Adoption in the Enterprise

Nutanix | October 27, 2022

Nutanix , a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today announced new features in its Cloud Platform to accelerate the adoption of Kubernetes running both at scale and cost-effectively. The company announced broad support for leading Kubernetes container platforms, built-in infrastructure as code capabilities, and enhanced data services for modern applications. These new features allow DevOps teams to accelerate application delivery with the performance, governance, and flexibility of the Nutanix Cloud Platform while allowing customers to maintain control of their IT operating costs. “Kubernetes deployments are inherently dynamic and challenging to manage at scale. “Running Kubernetes container platforms cost-effectively at large scale requires developer-ready infrastructure that seamlessly adapts to changing requirements. Our expertise in simplifying infrastructure management while optimizing resources—both on-premises and in the public cloud—is now being applied to help enterprises adopt Kubernetes more quickly. The Nutanix Cloud Platform now supports a broad choice of Kubernetes container platforms, provides integrated data services for modern applications, and enables developers to provision Infrastructure as Code.” Thomas Cornely, SVP, Product Management, Nutanix According to Gartner, by 2027, 25% of all enterprise applications will run in containers, an increase from fewer than 10% in 20211. This is a significant challenge for many given most Kubernetes solutions are not meant to support enterprise scale, even less can do so in a manner that is cost effective. The Nutanix Cloud Platform enables enterprises to run Kubernetes in a software-defined infrastructure environment that can linearly scale. Additionally, whether running Kubernetes on-premises or in the public cloud, Nutanix delivers a cost-effective solution that can help lower total cost of ownership by up to 53% when compared to other native cloud deployment solutions. New capabilities, including broad support for leading Kubernetes container platforms, built-in infrastructure as code capabilities, and enhanced data services, make Nutanix an even stronger proposition for enterprises looking to deploy Kubernetes at scale. Specifically, new enhancements include: Broad Kubernetes Ecosystem: The Nutanix Cloud Platform, with the built-in AHV hypervisor, now supports most leading Kubernetes container platforms with the addition of Amazon EKS-A. This builds on a large ecosystem including Red Hat OpenShift, SUSE Rancher, as well as Google Anthos, and Microsoft Azure Arc for edge deployments, along with the native Nutanix Kubernetes, Nutanix Kubernetes Engine (NKE). Built-In Infrastructure as Code Operating Model: Nutanix also announced an updated API family along with its SDKs in Java, JS, Go and Python, currently under development. This will enable automation at scale and consistent operations regardless of location—in the datacenter, on the public cloud, or at edge—both of key importance to enterprises. Additionally, when combined with Red Hat Ansible Certified Content or the Nutanix Terraform provider, a DevOps methodology can be brought to infrastructure through automation leveraging Infrastructure as Code. Strengthened Data Services for Modern Applications: Nutanix Cloud Platform’s web-scale architecture enables customers to start small and scale to multi-PB sized deployments as application needs grow. It is the only platform to unify delivery of integrated data services with file, object, and now adding database services on the same platform for Kubernetes-based applications. Today Nutanix launched Nutanix Database Service Operator for Kubernetes, which enables developers to quickly and easily provision and attach databases to their application stacks directly from development environments. The open source operator is available via artifacthub.io as well as by direct download at GitHub. Additionally, Nutanix Objects now supports a reference implementation of Container Object Storage Interface (COSI) for ease of orchestration and self-service provisioning. It also adds support for observability using Prometheus. Lastly, Objects is now validated with modern analytics applications including Presto, Dremio, and Vertica, along with Confluent Kafka to efficiently enable large-scale data pipelines often used in real-time streaming applications. These new features build on the Nutanix Cloud Platform’s ability to handle the dynamic demands of Kubernetes applications at scale. With the Nutanix hyperconverged infrastructure, performance and capacity scale linearly, resilience is delivered from the ground up with self-healing nodes, and persistent storage is natively integrated. Additionally, the Nutanix Cloud Platform can help deliver cost efficiencies by eliminating unused compute and storage resources. For customers looking at cloud integrations, the same Nutanix value is delivered across hybrid multicloud endpoints with full license portability across edge, datacenter, service provider, and hyperscaler points of presence. “When we decided to bring the core platform for our solutions in-house, we decided to take a modular containerized approach to give us the desired flexibility and simplify management by maintaining customization as configurations,” said Larry McClanahan, Chief Product Officer, Nymbus. “Our partnership with Red Hat and Nutanix gives us the flexibility to innovate, the speed to get to market fast, and the tremendous scalability to support ongoing growth. We’re thrilled that we can better help our customers succeed in the digital banking market with unique solutions.” "Container development platforms promise faster application development speed, but will only be deployed by organizations who can maintain compliance, day 2 operations, and cost management control at scale,” said Paul Nashawaty, Senior Analyst at ESG. “Nutanix offers a compelling path to speed the deployment of modern applications at scale and in a cost-effective manner, with full choice of Kubernetes container development environments and cloud endpoints." About Nutanix Nutanix is a global leader in cloud software and a pioneer in hyperconverged infrastructure solutions, making clouds invisible, freeing customers to focus on their business outcomes. Organizations around the world use Nutanix software to leverage a single platform to manage any app at any location for their hybrid multicloud environments.

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Application Infrastructure, IT Systems Management

Scale Computing Tops CRN’s 2022 Annual Report Card for Edge Computing and Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Scale Computing | August 23, 2022

Scale Computing, a market leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named it a winner of the 2022 CRN Annual Report (ARC) Awards in both the Edge Computing category and the Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure category. This is the fourth consecutive year Scale Computing has been recognized as a CRN ARC Award winner, and the company once again swept all of the subcategories including Product Innovation, Support, Partnership, and Managed & Cloud Services in both Edge Computing and Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure. The company also announced a “save the date” for the 2023 Scale Computing Platform Partner Summit, February 15-16 in Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to download the dates to your Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, or iCal. With a 37-year history, CRN’s ARC Awards recognize best-in-class vendors that are devoted to boosting IT channel growth through innovation in technology and partner strategy. Through the ARC Awards — known as one of the most prestigious honors in the IT industry — solution providers offer key feedback that commends technology manufacturers for designing channel-friendly product offerings, developing strong partner programs, and building long-term successful relationships with solution providers. “This recognition represents the ‘Voice of the Partner’ and we are very proud to be named the leader in both Edge Computing and Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure. “This year is particularly meaningful as vendor survey participation was mandatory, ranking us number one above all of our competition. When we founded Scale Computing, we set out to create a company that would be the best vendor our customers and partners would ever work with. Sweeping all subcategories over our competitors for years in-a-row proves we are delivering on that promise.” Jeff Ready, CEO and co-founder, Scale Computing Scale Computing Platform brings simplicity, high availability, and scalability together, replacing the existing infrastructure and running applications in a single, easy-to-manage platform. Bringing faster time to value than competing solutions, SC//Platform enables organizations to run applications in a unified environment that scales from 1 to 50,000 servers. Regardless of hardware requirements, the same innovative software and simple user interface provides the power to run infrastructure efficiently at the edge, in the distributed enterprise, and in the data center. The ARC Awards are based on an invitation-only research survey conducted by The Channel Company. Responses from 3,000 solution providers across North America were evaluated in this year’s survey, rating 82 vendor partners across four criteria: product innovation, support, partnership, and managed cloud services. Scores were awarded in 25 major product categories in technology areas that are critical to channel partner success. “It’s our pleasure to honor vendors that consistently deliver top-performing products and services to establish and foster successful channel partner relationships,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO, The Channel Company. “In addition to highlighting our winners, CRN’s Annual Report Card Awards provide vendors with actionable feedback and insight into their current standing with partners that can be incorporated into their channel strategies in the future. We look forward to offering our congratulations to all the award recipients at XChange 2022 in August.” Winners will be featured throughout The Channel Company’s XChange 2022 conference, taking place August 21-23 in Denver, CO. Coverage of the CRN 2022 ARC results can be found online at www.CRN.com/ARC and will be featured in the October 2022 issue of CRN Magazine. About Scale Computing Scale Computing is a leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions. Using patented HyperCore™ technology, Scale Computing Platform automatically identifies, mitigates, and corrects infrastructure problems in real-time, enabling applications to achieve maximum uptime, even when local IT resources and staff are scarce. Edge Computing is the fastest growing area of IT infrastructure, and industry analysts have named Scale Computing an outperformer and leader in the space, including being named the #1 edge computing vendor by CRN. Scale Computing’s products are sold by thousands of value-added resellers, integrators, and service providers worldwide. When ease-of-use, high availability, and TCO matter, Scale Computing Platform is the ideal infrastructure platform. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Sunlight.io launches first hyperconverged stack supporting the NVIDIA Jetson-based Lenovo ThinkEdge SE70 to make edge AI deployable at scale

Sunlight | June 30, 2022

Sunlight.io, the edge infrastructure company, today announced support for the NVIDIA Jetson™ edge AI platform, and the Lenovo SE70, with the launch of its beta program — ‘Project Rosie.’ Sunlight NexVisor is the first full hyperconverged stack to support the Arm-CPU-based NVIDIA Jetson. Sunlight NexVisor coupled with the Lenovo SE70 makes it easy to deploy AI applications anywhere at the edge. Application developers can be the first to access the technology and test their AI applications by applying here. AI is a ‘killer application’ at the edge where it is bringing real-time “insight to action” across a wide range of use cases. For example, computer vision — combining cameras, video streaming and analytics — is being implemented at drive-thrus nationwide for faster and more personalized food ordering; on manufacturing production lines to instantly identify and remove faulty items; and across smart cities to enhance population and crowd security. These sorts of AI applications need high levels of processing power with low latency and reliable networking in order to give real-time results. Enterprises want to replicate the simplicity of the hyperconverged infrastructure they enjoy in their core data centers for their edge AI applications. However, datacenter HCI isn’t able to run in the constrained environments that exist at the edge due to their large RAM and CPU overhead and lack of edge management capabilities. This makes edge deployments extremely resource intensive to manage and hard to scale. Sunlight NexVisor is the only hyperconverged stack that is able to run on both x86 and Arm architectures and with a tiny footprint suitable for constrained edge environments. It includes centralized management and application deployment capabilities. NVIDIA Jetson is the world's leading platform for AI at the edge. NVIDIA Jetson modules are small form-factor, high-performance computers containing an Arm processor and GPU. The combination of Sunlight NexVisor and the NVIDIA Jetson-powered Lenovo ThinkEdge SE70 makes it possible to run demanding edge AI applications in harsh environments that span hundreds or thousands of sites with easy single-pane-of-glass management, low TCO and tiny power and space requirements. Sunlight is a member of NVIDIA Inception, a global program designed to nurture cutting-edge startups. Scott Tease, Lenovo’s VP for HPC and AI said, "Our customers realize the advantages of edge AI and deploying solutions closer to the point of data capture to run real-time inferencing. That is why we are so excited to be partnering up with Sunlight as they support our edge portfolio to significantly improve the efficiency and economics of AI deployments for customers worldwide." “We are excited to launch this exclusive beta program for users who need to run efficient, manageable AI out where the data is generated — at the edge. “Sunlight already offers full support for the Lenovo ThinkEdge and ThinkSystem range, including the Intel-based SE30, SE50, SE350 and SE450. Together, we’ve been able to produce a truly industry-first solution by combining Sunlight’s turn-key, edge-as-a-service offering with Lenovo’s leading AI edge platform powered by NVIDIA Jetson. Sunlight was born out of a collaboration with Arm back in 2013 to build a lightweight hypervisor, and we’re seeing huge demand for the use of Arm-based servers at the edge due to their performance and power-efficiency.” Julian Chesterfield, Founder and CEO of Sunlight About Sunlight The Sunlight Edge is a reliable, secure, zero-touch and economic infrastructure that helps turn your critical edge data into real-time insight and action across your retail stores, manufacturing lines and smart cities. Sunlight makes running and managing applications and infrastructure at the edge as easy as in the cloud. Sunlight works with efficient, ruggedized edge hardware — so you can consolidate all of your in-location edge applications with full isolation, security and high availability.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Application Infrastructure

Nutanix Accelerates Kubernetes Adoption in the Enterprise

Nutanix | October 27, 2022

Nutanix , a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today announced new features in its Cloud Platform to accelerate the adoption of Kubernetes running both at scale and cost-effectively. The company announced broad support for leading Kubernetes container platforms, built-in infrastructure as code capabilities, and enhanced data services for modern applications. These new features allow DevOps teams to accelerate application delivery with the performance, governance, and flexibility of the Nutanix Cloud Platform while allowing customers to maintain control of their IT operating costs. “Kubernetes deployments are inherently dynamic and challenging to manage at scale. “Running Kubernetes container platforms cost-effectively at large scale requires developer-ready infrastructure that seamlessly adapts to changing requirements. Our expertise in simplifying infrastructure management while optimizing resources—both on-premises and in the public cloud—is now being applied to help enterprises adopt Kubernetes more quickly. The Nutanix Cloud Platform now supports a broad choice of Kubernetes container platforms, provides integrated data services for modern applications, and enables developers to provision Infrastructure as Code.” Thomas Cornely, SVP, Product Management, Nutanix According to Gartner, by 2027, 25% of all enterprise applications will run in containers, an increase from fewer than 10% in 20211. This is a significant challenge for many given most Kubernetes solutions are not meant to support enterprise scale, even less can do so in a manner that is cost effective. The Nutanix Cloud Platform enables enterprises to run Kubernetes in a software-defined infrastructure environment that can linearly scale. Additionally, whether running Kubernetes on-premises or in the public cloud, Nutanix delivers a cost-effective solution that can help lower total cost of ownership by up to 53% when compared to other native cloud deployment solutions. New capabilities, including broad support for leading Kubernetes container platforms, built-in infrastructure as code capabilities, and enhanced data services, make Nutanix an even stronger proposition for enterprises looking to deploy Kubernetes at scale. Specifically, new enhancements include: Broad Kubernetes Ecosystem: The Nutanix Cloud Platform, with the built-in AHV hypervisor, now supports most leading Kubernetes container platforms with the addition of Amazon EKS-A. This builds on a large ecosystem including Red Hat OpenShift, SUSE Rancher, as well as Google Anthos, and Microsoft Azure Arc for edge deployments, along with the native Nutanix Kubernetes, Nutanix Kubernetes Engine (NKE). Built-In Infrastructure as Code Operating Model: Nutanix also announced an updated API family along with its SDKs in Java, JS, Go and Python, currently under development. This will enable automation at scale and consistent operations regardless of location—in the datacenter, on the public cloud, or at edge—both of key importance to enterprises. Additionally, when combined with Red Hat Ansible Certified Content or the Nutanix Terraform provider, a DevOps methodology can be brought to infrastructure through automation leveraging Infrastructure as Code. Strengthened Data Services for Modern Applications: Nutanix Cloud Platform’s web-scale architecture enables customers to start small and scale to multi-PB sized deployments as application needs grow. It is the only platform to unify delivery of integrated data services with file, object, and now adding database services on the same platform for Kubernetes-based applications. Today Nutanix launched Nutanix Database Service Operator for Kubernetes, which enables developers to quickly and easily provision and attach databases to their application stacks directly from development environments. The open source operator is available via artifacthub.io as well as by direct download at GitHub. Additionally, Nutanix Objects now supports a reference implementation of Container Object Storage Interface (COSI) for ease of orchestration and self-service provisioning. It also adds support for observability using Prometheus. Lastly, Objects is now validated with modern analytics applications including Presto, Dremio, and Vertica, along with Confluent Kafka to efficiently enable large-scale data pipelines often used in real-time streaming applications. These new features build on the Nutanix Cloud Platform’s ability to handle the dynamic demands of Kubernetes applications at scale. With the Nutanix hyperconverged infrastructure, performance and capacity scale linearly, resilience is delivered from the ground up with self-healing nodes, and persistent storage is natively integrated. Additionally, the Nutanix Cloud Platform can help deliver cost efficiencies by eliminating unused compute and storage resources. For customers looking at cloud integrations, the same Nutanix value is delivered across hybrid multicloud endpoints with full license portability across edge, datacenter, service provider, and hyperscaler points of presence. “When we decided to bring the core platform for our solutions in-house, we decided to take a modular containerized approach to give us the desired flexibility and simplify management by maintaining customization as configurations,” said Larry McClanahan, Chief Product Officer, Nymbus. “Our partnership with Red Hat and Nutanix gives us the flexibility to innovate, the speed to get to market fast, and the tremendous scalability to support ongoing growth. We’re thrilled that we can better help our customers succeed in the digital banking market with unique solutions.” "Container development platforms promise faster application development speed, but will only be deployed by organizations who can maintain compliance, day 2 operations, and cost management control at scale,” said Paul Nashawaty, Senior Analyst at ESG. “Nutanix offers a compelling path to speed the deployment of modern applications at scale and in a cost-effective manner, with full choice of Kubernetes container development environments and cloud endpoints." About Nutanix Nutanix is a global leader in cloud software and a pioneer in hyperconverged infrastructure solutions, making clouds invisible, freeing customers to focus on their business outcomes. Organizations around the world use Nutanix software to leverage a single platform to manage any app at any location for their hybrid multicloud environments.

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Application Infrastructure, IT Systems Management

Scale Computing Tops CRN’s 2022 Annual Report Card for Edge Computing and Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Scale Computing | August 23, 2022

Scale Computing, a market leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named it a winner of the 2022 CRN Annual Report (ARC) Awards in both the Edge Computing category and the Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure category. This is the fourth consecutive year Scale Computing has been recognized as a CRN ARC Award winner, and the company once again swept all of the subcategories including Product Innovation, Support, Partnership, and Managed & Cloud Services in both Edge Computing and Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure. The company also announced a “save the date” for the 2023 Scale Computing Platform Partner Summit, February 15-16 in Las Vegas, NV. Feel free to download the dates to your Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, or iCal. With a 37-year history, CRN’s ARC Awards recognize best-in-class vendors that are devoted to boosting IT channel growth through innovation in technology and partner strategy. Through the ARC Awards — known as one of the most prestigious honors in the IT industry — solution providers offer key feedback that commends technology manufacturers for designing channel-friendly product offerings, developing strong partner programs, and building long-term successful relationships with solution providers. “This recognition represents the ‘Voice of the Partner’ and we are very proud to be named the leader in both Edge Computing and Converged/Hyperconverged Infrastructure. “This year is particularly meaningful as vendor survey participation was mandatory, ranking us number one above all of our competition. When we founded Scale Computing, we set out to create a company that would be the best vendor our customers and partners would ever work with. Sweeping all subcategories over our competitors for years in-a-row proves we are delivering on that promise.” Jeff Ready, CEO and co-founder, Scale Computing Scale Computing Platform brings simplicity, high availability, and scalability together, replacing the existing infrastructure and running applications in a single, easy-to-manage platform. Bringing faster time to value than competing solutions, SC//Platform enables organizations to run applications in a unified environment that scales from 1 to 50,000 servers. Regardless of hardware requirements, the same innovative software and simple user interface provides the power to run infrastructure efficiently at the edge, in the distributed enterprise, and in the data center. The ARC Awards are based on an invitation-only research survey conducted by The Channel Company. Responses from 3,000 solution providers across North America were evaluated in this year’s survey, rating 82 vendor partners across four criteria: product innovation, support, partnership, and managed cloud services. Scores were awarded in 25 major product categories in technology areas that are critical to channel partner success. “It’s our pleasure to honor vendors that consistently deliver top-performing products and services to establish and foster successful channel partner relationships,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO, The Channel Company. “In addition to highlighting our winners, CRN’s Annual Report Card Awards provide vendors with actionable feedback and insight into their current standing with partners that can be incorporated into their channel strategies in the future. We look forward to offering our congratulations to all the award recipients at XChange 2022 in August.” Winners will be featured throughout The Channel Company’s XChange 2022 conference, taking place August 21-23 in Denver, CO. Coverage of the CRN 2022 ARC results can be found online at www.CRN.com/ARC and will be featured in the October 2022 issue of CRN Magazine. About Scale Computing Scale Computing is a leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions. Using patented HyperCore™ technology, Scale Computing Platform automatically identifies, mitigates, and corrects infrastructure problems in real-time, enabling applications to achieve maximum uptime, even when local IT resources and staff are scarce. Edge Computing is the fastest growing area of IT infrastructure, and industry analysts have named Scale Computing an outperformer and leader in the space, including being named the #1 edge computing vendor by CRN. Scale Computing’s products are sold by thousands of value-added resellers, integrators, and service providers worldwide. When ease-of-use, high availability, and TCO matter, Scale Computing Platform is the ideal infrastructure platform. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Sunlight.io launches first hyperconverged stack supporting the NVIDIA Jetson-based Lenovo ThinkEdge SE70 to make edge AI deployable at scale

Sunlight | June 30, 2022

Sunlight.io, the edge infrastructure company, today announced support for the NVIDIA Jetson™ edge AI platform, and the Lenovo SE70, with the launch of its beta program — ‘Project Rosie.’ Sunlight NexVisor is the first full hyperconverged stack to support the Arm-CPU-based NVIDIA Jetson. Sunlight NexVisor coupled with the Lenovo SE70 makes it easy to deploy AI applications anywhere at the edge. Application developers can be the first to access the technology and test their AI applications by applying here. AI is a ‘killer application’ at the edge where it is bringing real-time “insight to action” across a wide range of use cases. For example, computer vision — combining cameras, video streaming and analytics — is being implemented at drive-thrus nationwide for faster and more personalized food ordering; on manufacturing production lines to instantly identify and remove faulty items; and across smart cities to enhance population and crowd security. These sorts of AI applications need high levels of processing power with low latency and reliable networking in order to give real-time results. Enterprises want to replicate the simplicity of the hyperconverged infrastructure they enjoy in their core data centers for their edge AI applications. However, datacenter HCI isn’t able to run in the constrained environments that exist at the edge due to their large RAM and CPU overhead and lack of edge management capabilities. This makes edge deployments extremely resource intensive to manage and hard to scale. Sunlight NexVisor is the only hyperconverged stack that is able to run on both x86 and Arm architectures and with a tiny footprint suitable for constrained edge environments. It includes centralized management and application deployment capabilities. NVIDIA Jetson is the world's leading platform for AI at the edge. NVIDIA Jetson modules are small form-factor, high-performance computers containing an Arm processor and GPU. The combination of Sunlight NexVisor and the NVIDIA Jetson-powered Lenovo ThinkEdge SE70 makes it possible to run demanding edge AI applications in harsh environments that span hundreds or thousands of sites with easy single-pane-of-glass management, low TCO and tiny power and space requirements. Sunlight is a member of NVIDIA Inception, a global program designed to nurture cutting-edge startups. Scott Tease, Lenovo’s VP for HPC and AI said, "Our customers realize the advantages of edge AI and deploying solutions closer to the point of data capture to run real-time inferencing. That is why we are so excited to be partnering up with Sunlight as they support our edge portfolio to significantly improve the efficiency and economics of AI deployments for customers worldwide." “We are excited to launch this exclusive beta program for users who need to run efficient, manageable AI out where the data is generated — at the edge. “Sunlight already offers full support for the Lenovo ThinkEdge and ThinkSystem range, including the Intel-based SE30, SE50, SE350 and SE450. Together, we’ve been able to produce a truly industry-first solution by combining Sunlight’s turn-key, edge-as-a-service offering with Lenovo’s leading AI edge platform powered by NVIDIA Jetson. Sunlight was born out of a collaboration with Arm back in 2013 to build a lightweight hypervisor, and we’re seeing huge demand for the use of Arm-based servers at the edge due to their performance and power-efficiency.” Julian Chesterfield, Founder and CEO of Sunlight About Sunlight The Sunlight Edge is a reliable, secure, zero-touch and economic infrastructure that helps turn your critical edge data into real-time insight and action across your retail stores, manufacturing lines and smart cities. Sunlight makes running and managing applications and infrastructure at the edge as easy as in the cloud. Sunlight works with efficient, ruggedized edge hardware — so you can consolidate all of your in-location edge applications with full isolation, security and high availability.

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Events