“Private Cloud Operating System”, or PCOS, has emerged as the latest term for a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) operating system (OS). Yet, for better or worse, organizations will find at least fourteen terms that classify today’s available HCI OSes. As such, organizations may shrug off PCOS as more HCI noise with it no different than any other HCI OS.
While admittedly easy, this does not represent the right time to shrug off the importance of distinguishing between the 14 different HCI OSes. The entire HCI market remains in flux as organizations consider their next moves with HCI solutions in this post-VMware world. Adding to the difficulty of selecting an HCI OS, many organizations feel pressured due to Broadcom’s ongoing licensing changes. This may lead to making an emotionally charged decision based on the impetus to “just get off VMware”.
However, if organizations do not choose well, they may soon find themselves back in the same position again. So, it merits examining today’s 14 HCI OS classifications and which HCI OS represents the best choice for them.
Multiple HCI OS Classifications
Organizations will find nearly all HCI OSes classified as some type of cloud operating system, or COS. This phrase may lead organizations to believe that all HCI OSes possess similar cloud capabilities. However, each provider defines cloud a little differently which has led to a proliferation of HCI OSes. Further, a single HCI OS may fall under multiple HCI OS classifications.
For example, some HCI OSes fall under the Hybrid Cloud Platform classification. Organizations may deploy these HCI OSes both on-premises and in general-purpose clouds and manage them as a single logical instance. However, a provider’s HCI OS may not support all general-purpose clouds. Often, an HCI OS only supports one or a few leading general-purpose cloud(s) or a cloud offered by the provider.
Other HCI OSes get classified as a HCI Platform. An HCI Platform integrates on premise compute, storage, and virtualization into a scale out appliance architecture. Here again, while these HCI OSes sound similar, subtle but notable differences exist between them.
Some HCI Platforms have specific server hardware requirements. To use these HCI OSes, organizations must acquire server hardware that meets the HCI OS’s hardware specifications. However, organizations may want to use different generations or types of server hardware, or hardware from multiple providers. Organizations that want these options must identify an HCI OS classified as an HCI Platform that affords them that flexibility.
A third consideration, though more exists, evaluates how well the platform meets the emerging requirements of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. Classified as AI Infrastructure Platforms, these HCI OSes often come purpose-built for AI training, inference, and GPU-intensive workloads. Purpose-built for AI may, however, infer the HCI OS provider requires organizations to buy specialized server hardware for this purpose. So, while organizations may want to deploy AI, they may not be ready to make sizeable investments in it.
As the points above and the chart below illustrate, all HCI OSes in some way deliver cloud-like capabilities. However, organizations cannot and should not view them as delivering the same capabilities. Rather, they should view each HCI OS as often being optimized to meet one or more specific use cases within organizations.
The Organizational Dilemma
Reviewing these fourteen HCI OS classifications may give organizations pause. Fewer organizations find themselves in a situation where they must only meet one of these use cases internally. Rather, they often need an HCI OS that must meet multiple competing internal demands.
This results in them asking at least the following two questions that they must try to answer:
- Should they use one HCI OS and then make it work for all the use cases as defined above and for others that may yet emerge?
- Should they buy the best HCI OS for each requirement?
To best answer these two questions, it behooves us to re-examine these HCI OS classifications from another perspective.
Identifying the “Best” HCI OS
I put the “Best” in the blog entry and this section title in parenthesis because the “Best” results from an objectively simple analysis. This second chart examines which of the available HCI OSes meets the largest number of HCI OS classifications. Using this approach, the HCI OS from three providers emerge as leaders as they each fall under six or more HCI classifications
- Nutanix
- VergeIO
- VMware
Now one might expect Nutanix or VMware to appear on this list of the “Best” HCI OSes, but VergeIO? Yet when one looks across the various HCI OS classifications, VergeIO represents the only other provider to meet at least six classifications. Even if one disregards the PCOS HCI OS classification (which VergeIO uses to classify its VergeOS,) VergeIO still satisfies six of the other thirteen classifications. These include:
- AI Infrastructure Platform
- Cloud Operating System;
- Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) Platform;
- Infrastructure Platform;
- Software-Defined Infrastructure (SDI) Platform;
- Virtualization Platform.
VergeOS integrates compute, storage, networking, virtualization, automation, and AI services into a single software platform. This architecture allows it to satisfy all six classifications (or seven if one includes PCOS). The following chart providers details on how VergeOS does so for each of these seven HCI OS classifications.
VergeIO VergeOS’ 7 HCI OS Classifications
Classification | Why VergeIO Fits |
AI Infrastructure Platform | VergeOS provides the infrastructure required for AI workloads. It includes GPU support, high-performance storage, scalable networking, and unified infrastructure management. It also offers APIs that simplify deployment of AI training and inference environments. |
Cloud Operating System (COS) | VergeOS abstracts compute, storage, networking, virtualization, and management into a single operating environment. It manages infrastructure as one resource pool through a unified interface and API like a public cloud. |
Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) Platform | VergeOS combines compute, storage, virtualization, and networking on industry-standard x86 servers in a scale-out architecture. It eliminates external SANs while providing high availability, resiliency, and centralized management. |
Infrastructure Platform | VergeOS can run enterprise workloads by integrating compute, storage, networking, virtualization, security, and management into one software stack rather than separate products. |
Private Cloud Operating System (PCOS) | VergeOS includes self-service provisioning, automation, multi-tenancy, software-defined infrastructure, policy-based management, and API-driven operations. It delivers these services entirely within an organization’s own data center without requiring public cloud services. |
Software-Defined Infrastructure (SDI) Platform | VergeOS virtualizes and pools compute, storage, and networking resources. It exposes them through software policies instead of dedicated hardware appliances. Infrastructure becomes programmable through APIs and automation. |
Virtualization Platform | VergeOS includes its own Type-1 hypervisor, virtual machine lifecycle management, live migration, snapshots, high availability, virtual networking, and centralized management. It does not rely upon VMware, Hyper-V, or KVM. |
The “Best” HCI OS
The HCI OS that checks the most HCI OS classification boxes does not automatically mean it’s the “Best” HCI OS. Organizations should always consider their own requirements first before making any buying decision. They should then acquire an HCI OS that minimally satisfies those requirements. However, it behooves them to identify other use cases that an HCI OS might address.
As the HCI OS classification chart above illustrates, an HCI OS can meet multiple requirements within an organization. In those circumstances, selecting an HCI OS that addresses immediate requirements, and other current and potential needs may ultimately emerge as the “Best” HCI OS.
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Editor’s note: Verge.io is a client of DCIG