Continuous operation of super integrated infrastructure platform maintenance to ensure system health
Best practices will help data center management keep its hyper converged platform in the best state, and make the process of deploying future updates easier.
Enterprises typically run for many years after building their IT infrastructure. The real value of Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) is to ensure that ongoing operations become simple, thereby saving time and costs. However, regular maintenance activities are still required to keep the Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) platform in optimal condition.
Although the most common software maintenance is patching and updating, these updates may unlock new configuration options or enable new automation.
Update: endless story
Like any other software, the Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) platform needs to be updated. Each platform uses a hypervisor, and many platforms also use virtual storage devices. Hypervisor updates are inevitable and often beneficial because they can solve problems and improve performance. No matter which hypervisor is used, it will have some update mechanism, whether it is integrated with the hypervisor or updated using external services (such as Windows Update or VMware vCenter).
If the enterprise's hyper converged infrastructure uses a virtual storage device, the device will also be updated. Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) vendors typically provide a set of update mechanisms that integrate storage device updates and hypervisor updates into a single tool. Ideally, update tools will be integrated into the Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) cluster management to update the entire cluster without causing virtual machine downtime. As customers, enterprises still have to decide when to apply these updates.
An update can also be triggered if a problem is encountered and the vendor support team recommends that it be updated to a newer version to solve a specific problem. In addition, enterprises should take a proactive approach and arrange regular updates to the test environment before deploying it to the production environment.
If there is no suitable test environment, it may take several weeks to deploy the update. This allows third-party organizations or other enterprises to test updates before deploying them to the production environment. If you use this wait-and-see method, you should pay attention to the message of update failure and replacement of update package. Before deployment, you need to ensure that no failures are reported for several weeks. It is a major risk to deploy directly to the production environment without a test environment. Anyone who controls IT budgets should be aware of this and inform the implementation of the test environment to reduce the cost of future risks.
system optimization
One of the challenges faced by IT infrastructure is to configure it statically and then run it for a long time. When deploying Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) platforms, recognized best practices should be followed, and all relevant technologies should be deployed to the best platform. However, best practices are not unchangeable truths. Acceptable best practices change over time, but the deployed Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) environment is usually not modified to follow new procedures.
After building the Hyper Convergence Infrastructure (HCI) environment, you need to record any changes in the default settings and the reasons for these changes. It should also be noted why important settings remain at the default settings. Check at least once a year and consider whether the deployed hyperfusion infrastructure needs to be changed. If you make configuration changes, remember to update all documents.
Operation optimization
One of the core ideas of operational efficiency is to automate routine and repetitive tasks. Part of the ongoing optimization effort should be to identify routine tasks that can be automated, such as event management, event log creation, and low-risk software updates.
With the automation of routine tasks, the work of operation team members is released, enabling enterprises to view best practices and configuration details. Automated processes are less error prone, require less rework, and provide consistent services.
The super integrated infrastructure platform should provide simple operation with minimum manpower. Over time, maintenance activities such as patches and updates will be required, as well as a review of best practices, consistency, and optimization of the deployment environment.
Super converged infrastructure is designed to achieve rolling upgrades, so there are few mandatory requirements for batch replacement and review of deployment. Regular audit plan and structured update cycle will keep the super integrated infrastructure platform developing healthily.
