Top 11 Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI) Vendors of 2024: Choosing the Best Vendor

A growing trend across the globe and in nearly every sector- the Hyper-Converged Infrastructure market has shown to have a CAGR of almost 26% with USD 32.56 billion during the forecast period 2022-2027, according to a report compiled by MarketWatch. With industries ranging from healthcare and finance to government and even education, the value of HCI as the ideal computing, network, storage and management encompassing cloud IT architecture is evident. So, the question is this: For those in the market looking to upgrade to HCI as a solution, how do you go about selecting a service provider that will fulfill all of your cloud needs and do so efficiently? Sangfor explores how to choose the right HCI vendors below.

What is Hyper-Converged Infrastructure?

Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solutions were designed to provide enterprises with computing, storage, and networking all on a cloud-based platform, making both management and deployment easier and faster. While HCI vendors once only created hyper-converged integrated systems (HCIS) and were lone hardware providers, the market has shifted and evolved to create HCI, which now provides virtual computing, storage, and networking with a highly scalable, secure, and power infrastructure. With HCI you get unified management, easy and secure storage, high availability, and data services. Selecting the best HCI vendor to work with is important, and with so many out there, how do you decide which vendor is right for you? Some vendors focus on a specific region or vertical, while some vendors are still in the early stages of their HCI development.

How does Hyper-Converged Infrastructure work?

Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) is a modern approach to data center architecture that integrates compute, storage, networking, and virtualization resources into a single, tightly integrated system. It is designed to simplify data center management, improve scalability, and enhance operational efficiency. In this response, I will explain how HCI works and its key components.

At the core of HCI is software-defined infrastructure. It abstracts the underlying hardware resources and presents them as a pool of virtualized resources. This software layer enables centralized management and automation, allowing administrators to control the entire infrastructure through a single interface.

HCI consists of three main components: computing, storing, and networking. Let's explore each component:

Computing

HCI utilizes industry-standard servers that are equipped with powerful processors, memory, and storage devices. These servers host virtual machines (VMs) or containers and run the applications and workloads. The compute resources are managed by a hypervisor, such as VMware vSphere or Nutanix AHV, which enables efficient allocation and utilization of resources.

Storage

HCI integrates storage directly into the compute nodes, eliminating the need for separate storage arrays. It leverages local hard drives or solid-state drives (SSDs) in each server to create a distributed storage pool. This storage is presented as a shared resource across the HCI cluster. Data is distributed and replicated across multiple nodes for redundancy and high availability. The distributed storage architecture enhances performance, scalability, and resilience.

Networking

Networking in HCI is typically implemented using software-defined networking (SDN) principles. The network infrastructure is virtualized and abstracted from the physical networking hardware. Software-defined networking enables administrators to create virtual networks, define network policies, and manage traffic flows efficiently. It also supports features like load balancing, quality of service (QoS), and security.

The software layer of HCI provides advanced management and orchestration capabilities. Administrators can use a centralized management interface to provision and manage VMs, allocate resources, monitor performance, and handle tasks like data protection and disaster recovery tasks. HCI platforms often include automation and self-healing capabilities, simplifying routine administrative tasks and ensuring high system availability.

The Top 11 Hyper Converged Infrastructure Vendors in 2024

1. Sangfor HCI - Hyper Converged Infrastructure

This hyper converged infrastructure vendor stands out in the HCI market for its unique blend of performance, scalability, and ease of use. Designed to cater to diverse business needs, Sangfor HCI integrates seamlessly with existing IT environments, ensuring minimal disruption during implementation.

• About the Solution: Sangfor HCI is a comprehensive solution that merges storage, computing, and networking into a single, easy-to-manage system. It is designed to simplify IT operations, reduce costs, and enhance performance.
• Outstanding Features: Sangfor HCI features integrated disaster recovery, which ensures data protection and business continuity. Additionally, its automated management capabilities allow IT administrators to manage the infrastructure with minimal effort.
• Consumer Ratings: Users have consistently rated Sangfor HCI highly for its user-friendly interface and robust performance. It is praised for its reliability and the seamless integration of its components, as reported in the  2023 reviews on Sangfor HCI services.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: Sangfor HCI offers high scalability, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes. Its integrated security features provide robust protection against cyber threats. Additionally, it is cost-effective, offering a high return on investment.
  • Cons: One of the main drawbacks is its limited third-party integrations, which can be a challenge for businesses using a wide range of applications and services.
• Pricing: Sangfor HCI solutions are competitively priced, with costs varying based on specific configurations and business requirements.

2. Dell VxRail

This HCI vendor offers a powerful HCI solution that delivers a seamless VMware experience. It is designed to simplify IT operations and accelerate data center modernization, making it a popular choice among enterprises.

• About the Solution: Dell VxRail integrates deeply with VMware environments, providing a consistent and high-performance experience. It is built to simplify deployment and management while offering advanced features that enhance data center operations.
• Outstanding Features: One of the standout features of VxRail is its deep integration with VMware, which enables simplified lifecycle management and robust performance. This integration ensures that users can leverage the full capabilities of VMware tools.
• Consumer Ratings: VxRail is highly rated for its reliability and integration with VMware tools. Users appreciate its performance and the ease with which it integrates into existing VMware environments.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: VxRail offers seamless VMware integration, a significant advantage for businesses already using VMware products. It also delivers high performance and reliability.
  • Cons: The primary drawback is its higher cost, which can be prohibitive for some businesses. Additionally, the setup process can be complex, requiring expertise to configure and manage effectively.
• Pricing: Dell VxRail solutions are tailored for enterprise needs, with pricing dependent on the specific configuration and scope of deployment.

3. Azure Stack HCI

Azure Stack HCI by Microsoft provides a robust hybrid cloud solution. It enables users to run virtualized applications on-premises while seamlessly connecting to Azure services.

• About the Solution: Azure Stack HCI is designed to deliver a consistent hybrid cloud experience, combining the benefits of on-premises infrastructure with the flexibility of cloud services. It supports a wide range of applications and workloads.
• Outstanding Features: Key features of Azure Stack HCI include hybrid capabilities that allow seamless integration with Azure services, robust security measures, and advanced management tools that simplify IT operations.
• Consumer Ratings: Users praise Azure Stack HCI for its hybrid capabilities and ease of integration with Azure. It is considered a versatile solution that supports a wide range of applications and workloads.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: Azure Stack HCI offers strong hybrid cloud capabilities, enabling businesses to leverage both on-premises and cloud resources. Its robust security features provide comprehensive protection for data and applications.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its higher cost, which can be a barrier for smaller businesses. Additionally, there is a dependency on Azure services, which may not be ideal for all organisations.
• Pricing: VMware vSAN solutions have flexible pricing options that are tailored to meet various business requirements.

4. VMware vSAN

VMware vSAN is a key component of VMware's software-defined data center strategy, providing a seamless path to HCI for VMware environments.

• About the Solution: VMware vSAN integrates tightly with VMware vSphere, offering a robust and scalable HCI solution. It is designed to simplify storage management and enhance performance in virtualized environments.
• Outstanding Features: VMware vSAN features storage policy-based management, which allows users to define storage requirements for individual applications. It also delivers high performance and integrates seamlessly with other VMware products.
• Consumer Ratings: vSAN is highly rated for its integration with VMware ecosystems. Users appreciate its performance and the ease with which it can be managed in VMware environments.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: vSAN offers excellent VMware integration, making it a top choice for businesses using VMware products. It delivers high performance and simplifies storage management.
  • Cons: The primary drawback is its higher cost, which can be a barrier for some businesses. Additionally, it requires VMware expertise to manage effectively.

5. HPE SimpliVity

This hyper converged infrastructure vendor offers an all-in-one HCI solution designed to improve the efficiency and resilience of IT operations.

• About the Solution: HPE SimpliVity combines storage, computing, and networking into a single, integrated system. It is designed to simplify IT operations, enhance performance, and provide robust data protection.
• Outstanding Features: Key features of HPE SimpliVity include data efficiency, built-in backup and disaster recovery, and simplified management. These features help reduce costs and improve the overall efficiency of IT operations.
• Consumer Ratings: SimpliVity is highly praised for its data efficiency and ease of management. Users appreciate its integrated data protection and the simplified management interface.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: SimpliVity offers integrated data protection, which enhances business continuity and disaster recovery. Its easy management features make it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its higher upfront cost, which can be a barrier for some businesses. Additionally, the initial setup process can be complex, requiring expertise to configure effectively.
• Pricing: HPE SimpliVity solutions offer competitive pricing based on configuration and business needs.

6. SUSE Harvester

SUSE Harvester is an open-source HCI solution that delivers a cloud-native experience for managing VMs and containers.

• About the Solution: SUSE Harvester is designed to provide a cloud-native HCI experience, integrating Kubernetes for container management and supporting a wide range of virtualized applications.
• Outstanding Features: Key features of SUSE Harvester include Kubernetes integration, simplified management, and high flexibility. It offers a robust platform for managing both VMs and containers.
• Consumer Ratings: Harvester is rated positively for its open-source nature and flexibility. Users appreciate its Kubernetes integration and the ability to manage a wide range of applications.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: Harvester is open-source and highly flexible, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses looking for a cloud-native HCI platform. Its Kubernetes integration is a significant advantage for managing containerized applications.
  • Cons: The main drawback is limited enterprise support, which can be a challenge for businesses requiring extensive support services. Additionally, there is a steep learning curve associated with using the platform.
• Pricing: As an open-source solution, SUSE Harvester is available for free, but businesses may incur costs related to support, customization, and deployment.

7. StarWind Virtual SAN

StarWind Virtual SAN is a cost-effective HCI solution tailored for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) and remote office/branch offices (ROBO) offering high performance and reliability.

• About the Solution: StarWind Virtual SAN is designed to provide a reliable and cost-effective HCI solution for SMBs and ROBO environments.
• Outstanding Features: Key features include high availability, simplified management, and a cost-effective pricing model. It is designed to deliver reliable performance with minimal complexity.
• Consumer Ratings: StarWind Virtual SAN is praised for its affordability and reliability. Users appreciate its high availability and the simplified management interface.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: StarWind Virtual SAN is an affordable solution that offers high availability and reliability. It is easy to manage and suitable for smaller-scale deployments.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its limited advanced features, which can be a barrier for larger enterprises. Additionally, it is designed for smaller-scale deployments, which may not meet the needs of larger organisations.
• Pricing: StarWind Virtual SAN offers a cost-effective pricing model, making it accessible for SMBs and ROBO environments.

H3. 8. NetApp HCI

This HCI vendor provides a robust and scalable HCI solution designed to deliver consistent performance for enterprise applications.

• About the Solution: NetApp HCI is designed to provide a scalable and high-performance HCI solution for enterprise applications. It integrates seamlessly with NetApp's data services, providing a comprehensive platform for managing IT infrastructure.
• Outstanding Features: Key features include scalable architecture, robust performance, and seamless integration with NetApp's data services. It is designed to deliver consistent performance across a wide range of applications.
• Consumer Ratings: NetApp HCI is highly rated for its performance and scalability. Users appreciate its robust performance and the seamless integration with NetApp's data services.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: NetApp HCI offers scalable architecture and robust performance, making it suitable for large enterprises. Its integration with NetApp's data services provides a comprehensive platform for managing IT infrastructure.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its higher cost, which can be a barrier for some businesses. Additionally, the setup process can be complex, requiring expertise to configure effectively.
• Pricing: NetApp HCI solutions are designed to meet the needs of enterprise environments, with a pricing structure based on specific configurations and business requirements. Custom quotes are available to provide flexibility and value.

9. DataCore SANsymphony

DataCore SANsymphony is a flexible HCI solution that offers comprehensive data management capabilities.

• About the Solution: DataCore SANsymphony is designed to provide a flexible and high-performance HCI solution with comprehensive data management capabilities. It supports a wide range of applications and workloads.
• Outstanding Features: Key features include high availability, robust performance, and extensive data services. It is designed to provide a comprehensive platform for managing data and applications.
• Consumer Ratings: SANsymphony is praised for its flexibility and data management features. Users appreciate its high availability and robust performance.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: SANsymphony offers flexible deployment options and comprehensive data services, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. Its high availability ensures reliable performance.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its complex setup, which can be a barrier for some businesses. Additionally, it has a higher cost, which may not be suitable for smaller organizations.
• Pricing: DataCore SANsymphony solutions are priced according to the specific deployment options and business needs, ensuring that enterprises receive the flexibility and value required for their operations.

10. Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure

This hyper converged infrastructure vendor offers a highly scalable and robust HCI solution, designed to support a wide range of enterprise applications.

• About the Solution: Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure is designed to provide a scalable and high-performance HCI solution for enterprise applications. It integrates storage, computing, and networking into a single platform, offering comprehensive management tools.
• Outstanding Features: Key features include scalability, integrated security, and comprehensive management tools. It is designed to support a wide range of enterprise applications and workloads.
• Consumer Ratings: Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure is highly rated for its scalability and performance. Users appreciate its robust security features and the comprehensive management tools it provides.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure offers high scalability, making it suitable for large enterprises. Its integrated security features provide robust protection for data and applications.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its higher cost, which can be a barrier for some businesses. Additionally, it requires expertise to set up and manage effectively.
• Pricing: Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure solutions offer flexible pricing options tailored to meet the needs of various enterprise environments, ensuring a balanced approach to cost and performance.

11. Huawei FusionCube Hyper-converged Infrastructure

This HCI vendor offers a powerful HCI solution with advanced performance and management features.

• About the Solution: Huawei FusionCube is designed to provide a high-performance HCI solution with integrated management features. It supports a wide range of applications and workloads, providing a comprehensive platform for managing IT infrastructure.
• Outstanding Features: Key features include high performance, integrated management, and robust security. It is designed to deliver reliable performance and simplify IT operations.
• Consumer Ratings: FusionCube is praised for its performance and management capabilities. Users appreciate its high performance and the integrated management features it provides.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: FusionCube offers high performance and integrated management, making it suitable for large enterprises. Its robust security features provide comprehensive protection for data and applications.
  • Cons: The main drawback is its limited global support, which can be a challenge for businesses operating in multiple regions. Additionally, it has a higher cost, which may not be suitable for smaller organizations.
• Pricing: Huawei FusionCube solutions are competitively priced to offer value for large enterprises, with costs dependent on specific configurations and business needs.

Choosing a Hyper-Converged Infrastructure Vendor

After reviewing the best options in the market, the next step is deciding the which service provider most effectively meet your HCI needs. The three most important factors in choosing an HCI vendor are vendor support, management, and price. However, once you’ve determined the rest, there are a few more suggestions on great places to get first-hand information from current users. But first, let's discuss support. You can also read our previous year’s article on Choosing the best Hyper Converged Infrastructure Vendor in 2021 by clicking here.

HCI Vendor: Support

It’s critical to have support in your local language for a solution like HCI which is vital to your business. This is an especially unique issue for those in the APAC and European regions, where countries are close, travel is easy, and business is routinely done across borders. As HCI is so critical to the success of an enterprise, it’s vital to work with a vendor who is available 24/7 with only one call. If something isn’t working correctly with your HCI solution, the last thing you want to do is fill out paperwork, sit on hold, and wait for traveling technicians.

HCI Vendor: Management & Performance

Management of your HCI solution should be easy. While experienced IT staff is critical to the success of any enterprise, HCI should make your daily management of the network and everyone using it easy and simple, also it reduces the maintenance cost. Of what benefit is an HCI solution that is too difficult to manage?

Several elements of HCI could potentially affect performance. For example, computing power has a direct effect on the performance of your HCI solution. Discuss this with your chosen HCI vendor to determine how much power you need and how much you have available. Your chosen HCI vendor should be excited to have this conversation with you, and custom builds a solution that meets all your needs.

HCI Vendor: Price

Price is a tricky topic, as the list price often changes depending on the time of year or business quarter. In addition, you are ideally working with an HCI vendor that will custom build your HCI to your specifications – meaning the price is what you make it. Our first suggestion is to work with a vendor who can work with you on the price and fulfill your needs. HCI should not be a one-size-fits-all solution. A few of the functions you should consider paying for are data compression and resiliency, hardware and software savings, security, and operational savings. However, in selecting an HCI solution, scalability means organizations can upscale and down-scale but pay only for what they make use of.

What Are the Benefits of HCI?

Choosing the right vendor for your hyper converged infrastructure needs allows organizations to fully reap the benefits of HCI (and there are many). Some of them include

• Reliability and stability
• Scalability
• High performance- Sangfor HCI’s IOPS is 50% higher than that of industry peers
• Simplified and easy-to-use
• Agility
• Data Protection

All of which Sangfor’s 3rd Gen HCI places particular emphasis on.

There are many vendors, and organizations must find vendors that tailor their solutions to perfectly meet their organizational demands with ease.

Read Hyper-Converged Infrastructure / HCI Vendors Reviews!

Gartner Inc. offers a comprehensive list of HCI products available across various regions and industries including Sangfor Technologies HCI solution, and what you can expect from working with them.

Gartner Peer Insights provides trustworthy insight and reviews from industry participants who make use of a wide range of HCI vendors. Below are 2023 reviews on Sangfor HCI services:

In one review titled "Best HCI When It Comes To Recoverability, Reliability, Security And Productivity," the Division Head of IT of a Finance industry customer scored Sangfor HCI 5/5 for each category (Product Capabilities, Integration & Deployment, Service & Support, and Evaluation & Contracting) and left the following comment:

I'm a user of traditional setup where we have several host and using enterprise storage, the performance is acceptable since it is using SSD's. But maintenance is quite challenging because I need someone who will manage the server, the storage, the SAN switch and the hypervisor. With HCI the management is so easy and you don't need different Engineers to manage the infrastructure. I can say that performance of our Systems have improved so much...we have this one system wherein 1 query takes more or less 30minutes, but when we migrated to HCI query is now only 1minute.

The Head of the IT Department of a finance industry customer wrote a review titled "Creating New Server Very Easy And Excellent Quality Support Team" and made the following comment:

Simple to maintain all the VM and Excellent GUI, software-defined IT infrastructure make the product more effective and efficient, Performance better than old system. And which makes me most happy is…. if we have any technical issue, the Technical Engineer are ready to support with quality of excellent skill to be delivered even though it’s not in office hours.

Sangfor is merely one of many vendors to be considered, but we understand that choosing the correct vendor is a decision that could improve or halt company progress. We have provided information to assist organizations in the process. Choose wisely!

Making the Final Decision: Choosing Your HCI Vendor

Selecting the right hyper converged infrastructure vendor is crucial for optimizing your IT operations and achieving business goals. By understanding the features, benefits, and limitations of the top HCI vendors in 2024, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your organizational needs. By partnering with Sangfor, you will benefit from our operational excellence and receive full sales support throughout the sales cycle. This includes assistance with lead generation, project protection, technical help, and bidding. Partners can choose to specialize in either security or cloud business, allowing you to scale your operations based on your business needs.

Becoming a Sangfor HCI Vendor / Partner

By partnering with Sangfor, you benefit from our operational excellence, receiving full sales support throughout the sales cycle. This includes assistance with lead generation, project protection, technical help, and bidding. Partners can choose to specialize in either security or cloud business, allowing you to scale your operations based on your business needs.

We offer a Partner Engagement Plan with three different tiers, including Certified, Gold, and Platinum, each providing varying levels of benefits and values based on your business model and performance. Upon successful application, you gain access to Sangfor’s network security, cloud computing, and infrastructure solutions. If you’re interested in becoming a vendor, reach out to us by filling out this form.

Sangfor HCI Success Stories

• Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center is the biggest public hospital in Llocos Norte province, Philippines. To solve the performance issue of its legacy system, it deployed Sangfor HCI. The hospital finally improved its efficiency and business continuity.
• The Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) is a ministry of the Government of Malaysia that is responsible for skills development, labor, occupational safety and health, trade unions, etcs. With Sangfor HCI network virtualization, MOHR can operate and maintain the entire IT infrastructure effortlessly with the “What You Draw is What You Get” feature.

About Sangfor Technologies

Sangfor Technologies is an APAC-based, global leading vendor of IT infrastructure solutions specializing in Network Security and Cloud Computing. Visit us at www.sangfor.com to learn more about Sangfor’s Security solutions and ransomware protection, and let Sangfor make your IT simpler, more secure, and valuable.

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