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Azure Stack HCI: Everything You Need to Know

This solutions offers hosting for containerized workloads and storage

7 min. read

Published onJuly 22, 2024

published onJuly 22, 2024

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Azure Stack HCI is revolutionizing the way we think about hyperconverged infrastructure, blending the best of on-premises and cloud capabilities. Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional or just diving into the world of hybrid cloud, Azure Stack HCI offers a robust, scalable solution for modern workloads.

What is Azure Stack HCI and what I can use it for?

1. What is Azure Stack HCI?

Azure Stack HCI is a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solution from Microsoft. It provides hosting for Windows and Linux VM or containerized workloads along with their storage. This product functions as a hybrid one, linking the local server to Azure so that you can access services in the cloud as well as monitor and manage everything from there.

A system of Azure Stack HCI includes a server or group of servers that operate on the Azure Stack HCI operating system and have connection with Azure. Through the Azure portal, you can oversee and control each separate Azure Stack HCI system as well as observe all your deployments for this technology. Management is possible with existing tools such as Windows Admin Center and PowerShell.

For getting the servers to operate Azure Stack HCI, you have two. First is purchasing Azure Stack HCI integrated systems from a hardware partner of Microsoft that comes with operating system already installed. Second choice involves buying validated nodes and then installing the operating system on your own. You can look at theAzure Stack HCI Catalogfor various hardware choices and utilize the Azure Stack HCI sizing tool to estimate how much hardware would be needed.

2. Best features of Azure Stack Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)

These features collectively ensure that Azure Stack HCI provides a comprehensive, flexible, and secure hyperconverged infrastructure solution, bridging the gap between your on-premises data center and the Azure cloud.

3. How to deploy and manage virtual machines with Azure Stack HCI

This solution helps you set up and manage your virtualized resources efficiently, extending your on-premises infrastructure with cloud capabilities.

4. How to integrate Azure Stack HCI with Azure Services

Integrating Azure services like backup and monitoring allows for a seamless hybrid cloud experience, enhancing security and operational efficiency.

5. Continuous deployment with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

This solution simplifies deployment and management of containerized applications, making it easier to run modern, cloud-native workloads on your HCI infrastructure.

6. GPU partitioning for AI workloads

GPU partitioning reduces costs and simplifies AI deployment by allowing multiple VMs to share GPU resources, making it ideal for machine learning applications.

7. Centralized management and visibility

Centralized management reduces complexity and improves operational efficiency by providing a single interface to manage multiple HCI clusters.

8. How to migrate workloads to Azure Stack HCI

This solution simplifies the process of moving your workloads to Azure Stack HCI, reducing downtime and ensuring a smooth transition.

So, now you know everything you want to know about Azure Stack HCI and how to use its main features.

We hope that our article offered all information needed. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to drop a comment in the section below.

Azure Stack HCI: Everything You Need to Know#

What is Azure Stack HCI and what I can use it for?#

1. What is Azure Stack HCI?#

2. Best features of Azure Stack Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)#

3. How to deploy and manage virtual machines with Azure Stack HCI#

4. How to integrate Azure Stack HCI with Azure Services#

5. Continuous deployment with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)#

6. GPU partitioning for AI workloads#

7. Centralized management and visibility#

8. How to migrate workloads to Azure Stack HCI#