Microsoft Azure Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI)

Pre-requisite Knowledge

 

Before we start with the understanding of what is Microsoft Azure HCI, we should have:

• Basic knowledge of cloud computing and its services
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Azure
• Basic Knowledge of hybrid and private cloud

Background

 

In this article we will explore the Microsoft Azure HCI and its main services.

 

Before we look in to what is Microsoft Azure HCI, lets understand Hyperconvergence and the Azure stack,

 

Hyperconvergence

• Hyperconvergence is an IT framework that combines storage, computing, and networking into a single system.
• This uses software and x86 servers to replace expensive, purpose-built hardware.
• It includes the hypervisor for virtualized computing, a virtualized software-defined storage, and virtualized networking.

Microsoft Azure Stack

• Azure Stack is an extension of Azure that provides a way to run applications in an on-premises environment and deliver Azure services in your datacenter.

Introduction of Microsoft Azure HCI

 

Microsoft recently announced Azure stack HCI as a way to deploy Azure Stack on virtualized infrastructure in enterprise data centers.

 

 

Source – Microsoft Docs

• It is like Azure stack but uses the virtualized environment. Hence, it is one more part of the Azure stack family.
• Azure stack HCI runs on industry-standard x86 hardware.
• Azure HCI has the low cost and improved performance as compared to Azure stack.
• Azure HCI is the evolution of Windows Server Software-Defined (WSSD) solutions previously available from Microsoft’s hardware partners.
• Azure HCI virtualized applications can connect to Azure public.
• Azure HCI has the same features as Azure stack like compute, storage and networking.
• Azure HCI can seamlessly integrate with the Azure for site recovery, monitor, backups etc.
• Microsoft has partners to set-up this environment. It helps to avoid a lengthy process of designing the solution from scratch. These partner names are ASUS, Axellio, bluechip, DataON, Dell EMC, Fujitsu, HPE, Hitachi, Huawei, Lenovo, NEC, primeLine Solutions, QCT, SecureGUARD, and Supermicro.
• We can achieve the high availability of applications by built in clustering and distributed software resiliency.
• We can manage Azure HCI using command line automation or Windows center.
• It replaces aging servers and storage infrastructure.

Microsoft Announcement

 

Reference Links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-converged_infrastructure
• https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/overview/azure-stack/hci/
• https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/03/26/azure_stack_hci/

Conclusion

 

In this article we have learned the overview of Microsoft Azure Stack HCI and its services.