The benefits of hyper-converged infrastructure and how power management can support HCI environments

Hyper-converged infrastructure is a technological advancement for data centre architecture. Like its similarly named precursor, converged infrastructure (CI) and HCI both aim to decrease the cost of deployment and operations while simplifying data centre management. The two systems differ in a few significant ways, though.

HCI is software-defined. Mostly run on off-the-shelf x86 servers, HCI uses smaller building blocks of virtualised computing, storage and networking to create a robust environment, meaning they are more manoeuvrable and cost-efficient to develop.

• Scalability: Add capacity when you need it. Add performance where you need it. Streamline when you don’t need old resources. HCI makes it easier and more cost-effective than buying huge blocks of infrastructure every few years.
• Compatibility: You don’t have to waste a precious minute researching vendors and platforms to make sure your hardware gets along. HCI brings together key IT system components into one box or system that’s managed through a software layer.
• Efficiency: HCI is like building with Lego bricks. This means you can build a virtual server compute environment yourself – ideal for companies without giant mega-data centres. HCI helps reduce storage space and bandwidth.
• Adaptability: With HCI, you get exactly what you need in one box – no matter what your specific needs are. So, you can go from zero to having a powerful, feature-rich, virtual server environment in a day.
• Mobility: People are completely mobile these days. Shouldn’t their data and apps be? HCI also creates greater mobility in workloads and applications by centralising management instead of centralising hardware.

The advantages of HCI technology are impressive, but HCI doesn’t come without risks. Power disruptions are even more detrimental in condensed and virtual IT environments. Every server needs more power and flexibility which instantly shifts the power demands on existing infrastructure, and the reality is that these infrastructures are often improperly provisioned and therefore lack an adequate power management strategy.

Eaton’s industry-leading power protection products are the ideal way to safeguard HCI systems because the total backup power solutions are built for and aimed at companies adapting to the latest technologies.

Eaton’s strategic partnerships with the leading HCI providers are part of those safeguarding solutions and can further enhance and simplify data centre management. These strategic partnerships ensure vendors have verified that Eaton’s UPSs, PDUs and Intelligence Platform are compatible with their infrastructure, which saves time and money and reduces risk from deployment through the lifespan of equipment. With ever-growing responsibilities and ever-present IT fire drills, Eaton has focused on designing solutions that enable IT professionals and data centre managers to manage power remotely. In particular, Eaton's Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) is easy to use and its comprehensive automation approach keeps systems online, intelligently resolves issues and enables companies to get the most out of their power devices.

The Eaton Intelligence Platform is the partner your HCI system needs. Ready to scale as your environment does, Eaton's platforms work to automate, monitor and visualise problems before they arise. 

Eaton offers three power management platforms designed to meet the needs of your specific HCI application.