Best Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Software

Full-stack hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) software is an all-encompassing solution that delivers virtualized computing, storage, and networking capabilities through a single software deployment on server hardware. This market category comprises vendors that develop and offer HCI software incorporating their proprietary server virtualization, software-defined storage, and network management capabilities.

Key features include:

1. Virtualized Computing Resources
2. Software-Defined Storage Management
3. Integrated Network Management Tools

Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) combines servers and storage into a distributed infrastructure platform powered by intelligent software, creating flexible building blocks that replace traditional infrastructure consisting of separate servers, storage networks, and storage arrays. Specifically, it integrates commodity data center server hardware with locally attached storage devices (spinning disk or flash) and is driven by a distributed software layer to address common challenges associated with legacy infrastructure.

To qualify for the Full-Stack Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) Software category, a product must:

• Offer a comprehensive software solution that delivers virtualized computing, storage, and networking capabilities from a single software instance running on server hardware.
• Incorporate the vendor’s proprietary server virtualization, software-defined storage, and network management tools.
• Combine commodity data center server hardware with locally attached storage devices and a distributed software layer to replace traditional infrastructure components.

The core value proposition is to simplify infrastructure management and address the limitations of legacy infrastructure by offering a flexible, distributed platform that integrates servers, storage, and intelligent software into a unified solution.