Enterprise workloads are changing quickly. AI, hybrid cloud, and edge computing are reshaping where and how workloads run. Growing data demands are also pushing IT teams to support more applications across more locations.
Managing infrastructure across all these locations can become complex. Hyperconverged infrastructure, or HCI, brings key IT resources together in a more unified, software-defined platform, helping simplify how infrastructure is deployed and managed.
Lenovo ThinkAgile HX Series combines Lenovo infrastructure with pre-integrated Nutanix software to deliver HCI for hybrid multi-cloud environments. It supports virtualization, databases, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), analytics, cloud-native applications, edge computing, and selected AI workloads.
ThinkAgile HX can extend from the data centre to edge and cloud-connected environments. This gives organizations a flexible HCI foundation for changing workload and deployment needs.
So, how does HCI work, and where does ThinkAgile HX fit? Let’s explore how the platform supports different workloads and distributed IT environments.
What Does HCI Mean?
HCI stands for hyperconverged infrastructure. It integrates compute, software-defined storage, networking, virtualization, and management within a software-managed infrastructure platform.
In a traditional architecture, compute and storage may be deployed and managed through separate systems. An HCI environment brings these resources together through software, allowing infrastructure teams to manage them through a more unified operational model.
Compute provides processing resources for applications and virtual machines. Software-defined storage pools and manages storage through software rather than relying on a separate storage architecture.
Virtualization enables multiple workloads to share infrastructure resources, while centralized management tools provide visibility into clusters, resources, and system operations. Hyperconverged infrastructure software connects these capabilities through a common management layer.
What is the Difference Between Traditional and Hyperconverged Infrastructure
Traditional infrastructure and hyperconverged infrastructure differ in how compute, storage, virtualization, networking, and management resources are deployed and managed. Understanding these differences can help organizations determine which approach best aligns with their operational and business requirements.
Table 1: Key Characteristics of Traditional and Hyperconverged Infrastructure
| Infrastructure Aspect | Traditional Infrastructure | Hyperconverged Infrastructure |
|---|
| Storage Architecture | Storage may be managed through separate storage arrays | Storage is software-defined and integrated within the HCI platform |
| Resource Management | Compute resources are managed independently from storage | Compute and storage are managed through a unified platform |
| Management Tools | Different infrastructure components may use separate management tools | Centralized management provides visibility across infrastructure resources |
| Deployment Model | Hardware components are deployed and managed separately | Software-defined architecture integrates infrastructure resources into a unified operational model |
| Scalability | Scaling often requires expanding individual infrastructure components | Infrastructure resources can be expanded through a simplified, cluster-based approach |
Traditional infrastructure can support enterprise workloads, but different components may require separate management processes. Hyperconverged infrastructure brings compute, storage, virtualization, and management into a unified platform, helping simplify administration across distributed IT environments.
This unified model can also support more consistent infrastructure management across data centres, branch offices, and edge locations.
How Lenovo ThinkAgile HX Supports Enterprise IT Infrastructure
The ThinkAgile HX Series is Lenovo’s hyperconverged infrastructure platform pre-integrated with Nutanix software. Lenovo provides integrated and validated hardware and software configurations designed to support virtualized, data-intensive, and distributed workloads.
3 key areas where ThinkAgile HX supports enterprise IT infrastructure include:
Nutanix-Powered Hyperconverged Infrastructure
Nutanix software provides software-defined storage, cluster, and solution-management capabilities for ThinkAgile HX. Nutanix Prism provides centralized solution management, while Lenovo XClarity supports hardware management.
Together, Nutanix Prism, Lenovo XClarity, and Nutanix Life Cycle Manager support solution management, hardware management, and lifecycle and firmware management across ThinkAgile HX environments.
ThinkAgile HX V4 for Current Workloads
The ThinkAgile HX V4 Series uses Lenovo server platforms for Nutanix-based HCI. The portfolio includes configurations designed for different workload and capacity requirements, including virtualization, databases, virtual desktop infrastructure, analytics, and selected AI inference workloads, depending on the model and configuration.
Organizations can compare ThinkAgile HX configurations based on processing, memory, storage, GPU options, expansion, and deployment requirements.
Distributed and Edge Deployments
A Lenovo HCI appliance can also extend hyperconverged infrastructure beyond a central data centre. ThinkAgile HX supports distributed deployment scenarios, including remote office, branch office, edge, and hybrid environments, depending on the supported configuration and deployment requirements.
This can provide organizations with a common HCI foundation for distributed workloads while supporting infrastructure strategies from edge to cloud.
Where ThinkAgile HX Fits Across Enterprise Workloads
Enterprise IT environments typically support multiple types of workloads. ThinkAgile HX offers system configurations that organizations can evaluate based on application, performance, capacity, and deployment requirements.
ThinkAgile HX V4 configurations are designed for different workload and capacity requirements. The following table provides a high-level view of where selected configurations may fit.
Table 2: ThinkAgile HX V4 Configurations by Workload Orientation
| ThinkAgile HX configuration | Workload orientation | What to consider |
|---|
| HX630 V4 | Small and medium business workloads | Compute, memory, storage, and capacity requirements |
| HX650 V4 | Mission-critical workloads | Performance, memory, storage, and expansion requirements |
| HX650 V4 Storage | Big data and high-capacity workloads | Storage capacity and data-intensive workload requirements |
| HX650a V4 | GPU-intensive workloads and AI inference | GPU, processing, memory, storage, and supported software requirements |
Virtualization, Databases, and VDI
ThinkAgile HX can provide a hyperconverged foundation for virtualized workloads, databases, business applications, and virtual desktop infrastructure. Centralized Nutanix management can help teams administer resources across an HCI cluster, while Lenovo hardware provides the underlying compute and storage platform.
AI and Data-Intensive Workloads
Selected ThinkAgile HX configurations offer processing, memory, storage, and GPU options for supported workloads such as AI inference, analytics, and other data-intensive applications.
Configuration selection should consider workload characteristics, processing and storage requirements, GPU requirements where applicable, and supported software.
Supporting Enterprise Infrastructure with ThinkAgile HX Series
The ThinkAgile HX Series brings together Lenovo infrastructure and Nutanix software in a hyperconverged platform designed to support a range of enterprise deployment requirements. As organizations manage workloads across data centres, edge locations, and other distributed environments, a unified infrastructure approach can help simplify management and maintain visibility across resources.
The ThinkAgile HX portfolio supports a range of workload and deployment requirements through a common Nutanix-based management model, depending on the selected configuration. Depending on the model and configuration, ThinkAgile HX can support virtualized, data-intensive, AI inference, and distributed workloads.
