How to combine HCI with your existing IT infrastructure

The first and easiest way to integrate existing equipment, applications, and services with new HCI equipment is through the use of their built-in APIs. Arsenal of such tools is really equipped with some of the HCI models. This allows developers to build direct connections with the HCI platform.

For example, the NPI HCI platform SimpliVity provides a REST API that can be used to configure HCI equipment in command line mode. Using this API, you can also service applications in the HCI environment. Similar APIs are also available in the arsenal of Nutanix Prism and Cisco HyperFlex management systems.

Another way is to use third-party tools. Some vendors integrate them into their HCI products in advance. For example, Dell EMC has deeply integrated its VxRail HCI solution with VMware management tools. DataOn Storage did the same, delegating the management and administration functions of the Windows Admin Center.

Choose the Right Application for HCI

Despite its many advantages, the HCI platform is not an ideal choice for launching absolutely corporate applications. Its hardware configuration is predefined, and this alone creates certain limitations. If corporate application is primarily associated with the launch of conventional virtual machines, then this feature of the HCI platform is not of fundamental importance.

Be creative with HCI equipment

Advertising often mentions that HCI provides built-in backup support. But if you creatively evaluate this statement, you can assume that HCI equipment can also work well for disaster recovery.

By building data warehouses on the HCI platform, you can immediately kill two birds with one stone: get increased reliability of data storage due to built-in backup support, as well as provide a very fast recovery of running virtual machines.

HCI equipment should be integrated with the rest of the enterprise IT ecosystem

HCI systems can work autonomously. They can be "put in the corner" and not touched. But they can become a significant part of the overall corporate IT ecosystem, if you think about their integration.

The list of common tasks may include monitoring and allocation of system resources, orchestration of workload, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to audit the software tools used by the company and figure out which of them have “junction points” with established HCI models.

Use HCI to reduce the complexity of implementing complex application systems

The whole headache of introducing new applications is being transferred to the IT departments of companies. The use of the HCI platform allows them to reduce the complexity of operating the infrastructure and servicing workloads.