5 Benefits of Hyperconverged Systems for Your IT Strategy

While traditional data centers may still be the norm for many companies, the majority are turning to hyperconverged storage systems to improve the functionality of their business. In fact, 70% of large organizations are planning to utilize hyperconverged systems by the end of 2021 as opposed to sticking with more traditional data center setups.

So why is the change occurring? First, it helps to understand just what a traditional data center is and how it can limit a company looking to grow.

Conventional Data Centers

Traditional data centers have been used by organizations for many years. They are reliant on date center hardware and physical servers to store data while also being intrinsically restricted by the size of the physical space in which this hardware is stored.

To increase the amount of its storage capacity, the business or organization would need to purchase additional physical servers and hardware. As a result, a traditional data center is entirely bound by the physical limitations it finds itself within, a factor which makes any form of business expansion a significant operation, rife with potential pitfalls. This is where hyperconverged systems can add support. (Read also: Is Hyperconverged Infrastructure Worth the Hype?)

What are Hyperconverged Systems?

Hyperconverged infrastructure is a software solution that combines storage, computing, and networking into a single system as a means to minimize data center complexity and increase scalability. Multiple nodes are grouped together to create shared computing and storage systems, designed for convenient consumption.

The Benefits of Hyperconverged Systems

Besides consisting of a smaller amount of physical equipment, hardware, and space, there are many benefits to incorporating hyperconverged solutions into your IT strategy.

1. Flexibility

When compared to legacy infrastructures that many organizations currently have in place, hyperconverged storage solutions offer a greater level of flexibility and overall agility. If your IT infrastructure is going to be truly flexible, it needs to be manageable by anyone on the team, not just a select few specialists. Hyperconverged systems allow for IT generalists to handle all infrastructure operational tasks, meaning your IT specialists can invest in innovation and meaningful business projects.

2. Scalability

As well as offering improved levels of flexibility, hyperconverged systems greatly aid in scalability, something that most organizations need help with. Hyperconverged systems can be implemented and deployed in hours and allow for quick changes. You can independently scale storage and compute resources on an as-needed basis without large infrastructure purchases.

This helps to ensure compatibility as additional levels of infrastructure are added without the need for large, sweeping changes, offering the opportunity to scale in a much more efficient manner than was previously possible. (Read also: How Can Stakeholders Use Automatic Hyperconvergent Management?)

3. Efficiency

Arguably the most intriguing benefit of hyperconverged systems is the greater levels of efficiency it can offer an organization. As the basic concept of hyperconverged storage involves less physical equipment, it is significantly more cost-effective to maintain, support, and update this system as opposed to one reliant on a legacy infrastructure setup featuring integrated components.

The software-based infrastructure allows for new features and updates to be seamlessly integrated and installed without needing to acquire brand new components. The overall increase in efficiency that hyperconverged systems offer allows businesses to be as agile as possible, and therefore offer services in a much more cost-efficient manner.

4. Consolidation

Coupled with the emphasis on efficiency, the ability that hyperconverged systems have to consolidate multiple IT functions into just one singular platform is incredibly useful to a wide array of different organizations. With these hyperconverged solutions, all workloads will operate in one sole position, as opposed to many separate, individualized silos.

This makes it much easier to move data between different appliances and potentially even different data centers, a difficult proposition when it comes to legacy infrastructure. In time, when organizations become more adept and used to working with these hyperconverged systems, the benefits that data consolidation can have will shine through.

5. Protection

One of the biggest fears that both businesses and the public have when it comes to data is that it is not well protected. As data protection rules and legal requirements around what is needed continue to be enforced emphatically around the globe, companies need to be doing all they can to ensure they are following the highest standards of practice. Hyperconverged systems aid with this greatly. When features such as disaster recovery are woven into the very infrastructure itself, leading data protection capabilities to become not only more efficient but also much more cost-effective. (Read also: 6 Things Many CIOs Don't Understand About Data Centers.)

Final Thoughts

Fighting against the ever-increasing waves of technological developments can feel like a losing battle. If business leaders are not willing to adapt to the coming changes, they risk falling behind. Hyperconverged systems are set to become more prevalent with each coming year, and if organizations wish to stay competitive, they need to reexamine their infrastructure strategy and adapt.

Ensuring that your data centers are fully ready and optimized to handle cloud computing capabilities and the growing influx in the levels of data should be something all businesses are striving to achieve. The benefits of hyperconverged solutions solve many of the drawbacks that come with a traditional data center setup. By implementing effective hyperconverged data systems, you can receive the flexibility and scalability you need to grow without having to sacrifice any amount of protection or levels of efficiency.