Storage resource management is a proactive approach that enterprises use to optimize the efficiency and pace through which an available data space is used in SAN (storage area network). SRM tools aid storage administrators in performing various activities such as automate data backup, data recovery, SAN performance analysis, configuration management and performance monitoring, predict future data storage needs, and learn and where and how to utilize tiered data, thin provisioning, and storage pools. When we talk about IT experts worldwide, they prefer short-term solutions over a long-term plan. According to Vanson Bourne, a market research company, 80% of the IT personnel tend to purchase more hardware for data storage instead of extracting more out of resources in hand.
This is why data storage and management students and professionals are advised to pursue relevant NetApp training and acquire knowledge and hands-on experience. As for this article, we are going to talk about the key things that learners can acquire through NetApp certification for enterprise storage resource management. The below pointers present a range of best practices that learners can employ in the different stages of procurement, deployment, and management cycle to enjoy maximum benefits from hyper-converged infrastructure.
Purchasing mistakes to avoid
It is important to know that HCI is no longer considered a niche technology for virtual desktop infrastructure and other specialized purposes. However, as organizations are moving their data centers from traditional architectures to HCI, most tend to commit the same buying mistakes made before. Learn about the critical mistakes that buyers make when buying and implementing HCI and how they can prepare to counter such mistakes over the course of a hyper-converged shift.
HCI, closely associated with hybrid cloud
HCI is quite similar in easy use and management to the cloud. Both help businesses in various activities including scaling resources like computing and storing and at the most appropriate rates. A major factor for these similarities between HCI and hybrid cloud is due to the virtualization that is incorporated by both. Virtualization also enables both the platforms to become ideal partners for enterprises wanting to enhance their virtualized impression and incorporate a hybrid cloud IT infrastructure. For instance, it is convenient to shift workloads to and from the local data center and the public cloud.
SDN is entitled a key role in HCI
Previously, HCI systems lacked the performance for software-defined networking (SDN). However, today SDN technologies are more aligned with the HCI features, while it has become mandatory for IT administrators to incorporate fully integrating SDN layers at the time of HCI deployment. In other words, SDN plays a vital role in hyper-convergence, assisting to make the best out of SDN technology in HCI.
Convergence and hyper-convergence are getting closer
NetApp, Datrium, and other such vendors have introduced products that allow the user to scale the components individually, hence, bridging the gap between the traditional definitions of converged and hyper-converged infrastructures. NetApp’s pairs scale-out SolidFire storage with ESXi servers in the same chassis. While Datrium’s DVX, is a disaggregated storage type for virtualization. Neither can be entirely classified as HCI or converged infrastructure, and both possess the design features that guarantee converged and hyper-converged infrastructure advantages.
Composable, converged and hyper-converged
Convergence can be seen in different forms. Besides the obvious CI and HCI forms, there is also a new type, composable infrastructure, that is acquiring traction. All three types unify for the same purpose of efficient and easy delivery of computing, storing, and network resources, and optimizing workloads. However, the approach to achieving the goals of all infrastructures is different. This is why IT personnel are advised to thoroughly examine the requirements, benefits, and limitations associated with each to determine the best fit for their company.
Create your own HCI systems with Red Hat
Red Hat incorporated the HCI fray last year along with the introduction of Red Hat Hyperconverged Infrastructure—an open source tool that assists enterprises in using commodity hardware to create their own HCI systems. The tool employs the Red Hat technologies including Gluster Storage, Red Hat Virtualization, Ansible and Enterprise Linux with the idea to nurture a DIY-based HCI and educate customers on avoiding often unreasonably high equipment costs and vendor lock-in.
Windows Server 2016 supports HCI
In 2018, Microsoft added plenty of features to support Hyper-V hypervisor-based HCI. Do note that shifting to hyper-convergence through Windows Server 2016 isn’t as easy as it sounds, and requires some extensive planning. It is important to know that an appropriate physical platform is used and configured and proper configuration for virtualized resources should be done. The user should acknowledge how to successfully deploy Windows Server HCI through Hyper-V and sufficiently virtualize compute, storage and network resources in order to obtain the full array of hyper-converged infrastructure benefits.
Hyper-converged systems exposed to processor threats
In early 2018, the team of Google Project Zero informed the globe of the security concerns in Intel, Advanced Micro Devices and ARM processors. These flaws, a.k.a. Spectre and Meltdown seized the advantage of speculative execution feature of advanced processors and created a huge security loophole in multi-tenant environments. In doing so, the tenants could likely acquire sensitive, confidential data including credit card information, passwords, etc. from one another. Apart from the hardware, software-based products that operate application commands on hosts such as hyper-converged systems are also equally exposed and should be catered accordingly.
HCI data security requires unique tools and techniques
Protecting data in a hyper-converged environment demands an approach as strict as HCI itself. The user must be able to protect resources at the control, data and management levels; effectively handle the task of securing abstractions of the existing computer, storage and network hardware alongside their security profile and mutual set of services; and become adaptable for securing data through consistently changing and variable workloads. Agreeably, IT administrators encounter several challenges in protecting the HCI data, but competent NetApp training and informative online sources on hybrid cloud management, enterprise storage resource management, and other important topics educate students and professionals on the strategies to counter them.
Also, feel free to connect with our NetApp experts to seek their bits of advice and suggestions.