How Does Hyperconverged Infrastructure Help K–12 Schools?
Hyperconverged infrastructure refers to a software-defined storage method that integrates components such as storage, computing, networking and administration. HCI enables schools to handle different infrastructure operations from a single control panel.
Hyperconverged infrastructure is a natural next step in data center modernization. With HCI, K–12 IT leaders can accelerate critical applications, such as relational databases, and scale to suit unique application needs while future-proofing their IT system.
This also allows schools to reduce the size of their data centers and the costs associated with procuring and maintaining traditional hardware equipment. Because of built-in failover capabilities, HCI can also help reduce the time and expense necessary for software upgrades and hardware replacement.
With the greater control offered by HCI, tech leaders can monitor their data center footprint to increase and stabilize the performance rate inside the school’s IT department.
LEARN MORE: Follow these best practices to deploy HCI in your school system.
However, hyperconverged infrastructure doesn’t replace cloud storage. Both have distinct characteristics and are capable of meeting schools’ various needs.
What Is Cloud Storage, and How Does It Work for K–12 Schools?
With cloud storage, users can access files and data stored in a remote location using the internet or through a specialized private network connection. These services, such as those offered by Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, are more affordable and scalable than on-premises hard drives and storage networks.
End-user spending on public cloud services is expected to reach $600 billion in 2023, with spending increasing at a 20 percent annual rate, according to research from Gartner.
Because the provider hosts, manages, secures and maintains the servers and related infrastructure, school personnel can access needed data more easily. This also means that teachers and students can access instructional resources from any device with internet access, which supports anytime, anywhere learning.
That enables K–12 teachers to provide customized learning experiences in virtually any location, while cloud solutions guarantee security, developmental scalability and cost-saving advantages.
The flexibility of cloud computing is notable, but it still has its own challenges. The specialized skill sets needed to build and deploy apps on public clouds differ from those of typical IT teams, which further specialize in data that is already highly segregated.
DISCOVER: How can school districts successfully shift to the cloud?
Schools must consider several criteria when selecting the best cloud deployment. Although public and private cloud models are popular, hybrid and multicloud options can offer greater control for K–12 institutions.
What Are Hybrid Cloud vs. Multicloud Models in K–12 Data Centers?
Hybrid clouds always incorporate a private cloud and are typically administered as a single entity. A hybrid cloud deployment that includes numerous public clouds is also known as a multicloud deployment. A multicloud system always incorporates more than one public cloud service. They don’t have to have a private cloud component, but they can, in which case a model can be both multicloud and hybrid cloud. As a result, the names are occasionally used interchangeably, although they mean significantly different things.
Depending on their chosen model, K–12 institutions can scale their computing resources in response to demand. This allows schools to expand storage capacity during peak usage periods, such as during multimedia-intensive activities or online assessments. This adaptability helps optimize resource allocation and adjust to changing educational needs.
