Cisco HyperFlex, is it Nutanix with an Isilon like filesystem?

Cisco HyperFlex, is it Nutanix with an Isilon filesystem?

UCSGuru created (as usual) the best rundown of “What is HyperFlexe”.
Cisco HyperFlexes its muscles

More over at Cisco Blog
Introducing Cisco HyperFlex Systems

More at Cisco
www.cisco.com/go/hyperflex

First let’s get the Nutanix take on HyperFlex:

Source: Cisco flexes its HyperFlex hyper-converged muscles

What does Nutanix think about Cisco’s HCIA market entry? CMO Howard Ting said; “Cisco’s entry into the market is not a surprise, as they are the last server vendor to fully embrace HCI. Nutanix has built not only the industry’s leading HCI product, but a full-blown enterprise cloud that includes integrated virtualisation, rich automation, app mobility, and native security. Time will tell if Springpath, with its yet unproven technology, can recreate both an EMC and VMware to become a viable alternative to AWS.”

A quick “what is it” from Cisco Blog:

Cisco HyperFlex Systems

Through our strategic relationship with Springpath, we’ve integrated innovative storage and data services software with Cisco UCS to create an architecture with substantial differentiation:

1. Independent scaling of compute and storage capacity allows right resources to be added incrementally in the right ratios.
2. Dynamic data distribution provides high availability, superior performance and better efficiency.
3. Continuous data optimization, delivered via always-on inline deduplication and inline compression that is layered on a log structured file system, minimizes storage needs by up to 80% without compromising on performance.
4. Integrated Management and Data Services allow HyperFlex systems to deliver native data services like granular Snapshots and Clones and to be seamlessly added to the robust UCS management ecosystem to simplify management.

RWUCS Take on HyperFlex

The “Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform” offering features like “Dynamic Data Distribution” looks like an “Isilon” type filesystem. An Isilon filesystem with richer features like “Continuous Data Optimization” to be more exact. That would be good for HA if a whole server fails. Has taken Isilon/EMC years to get the background maintenance processes to not slow a larger NAS down. Same goes with smaller high performance X400 series Isilons. The devil is in the background maintenance processes. Will be interested to see how HyperFlex handles this.

I would “Just buy a standard UCS” and install ESX with VSAN rather than go HyperFlex, or better yet get a proper NAS or SAN. Local disk cost vs. VSAN and HyperFlex (C-Series Cisco servers with local disk) will never match the lower operational costs of a proper NAS/SAN.

HyperFlex is built around Cisco C-Series servers attached to UCS FI’s. This worries me. C-Series servers connected to FI’s are a guaranteed failure EVERY code update. Love you Cisco, but you know this is true. C-Series attached to UCS FI’s equals “Brick” at code update.

Cisco says everyone loves HyperFlex so far. “Positive Press Response to New Cisco Hyperconverged Infrastructure“