HCI data centers require new maintenance practices
Hyper-converged data center infrastructure can help organizations and managers scale computing resources without the headache of integrating heterogeneous hardware into server racks. Over the past several years, more businesses are looking to hyper-converged offerings to reduce total cost of ownership, increase disaster recovery performance and consolidate operations.
However, these systems require more than just taking them out of the box, booting them up and leaving them alone. Just like any piece of equipment placed into the data center, they require regular maintenance and health monitoring to ensure proper operation and a positive effect on the organization's needs.
The best way for managers to sustain their hyper-converged data center is through a mix of proactive and scheduled maintenance. This requires training to learn about the system, setting up alerts for software-based updates and deciding if certain tasks can be completed through automation.
To get the most out of a hyper-converged data center, managers should work with vendors, executives and their own team to determine the infrastructure's exact purpose and who will oversee maintenance schedules and tasks.
Implementing any type of new technology into the data center -- software- or hardware-based -- requires research and planning. However, IT teams can sometimes forget to develop an effective upkeep schedule to maximize the technology's lifespan.
This handbook not only provides insight on ways to efficiently perform hyper-converged data center maintenance, but also helps managers keep the technology running 24/7 for dynamic operations and changing business needs.
