There are a number of value propositions for converged architecture. One of the primary ones is workload efficiency. Converged architecture achieves workload efficiency because the hardware configuration of converged architecture system is specially tailored to the workload.
It’s important to realize that each workload has a unique performance profile. Hardware that is tailored for a specific workload is more efficient than a generic hardware configuration. With converged architecture, dollars spent on hardware go to the resources most utilized by the workload. For example, a converged architecture system that is configured to host SharePoint Server will have a different hardware configuration than a converged architecture system configured to host Exchange Server. This is because SharePoint Server uses resources such as RAM, disk, network and processor in a different manner to how Exchange Server does.
While it’s definitely possible for an experienced administrator to build powerful server configurations that are optimized for a specific workload such as SharePoint Server, very few administrators who work for organizations, and aren’t independent consultants, have the sort of in-depth knowledge of both SharePoint Server’s performance characteristics as well as the in-depth knowledge of cutting-edge computer hardware to know which configuration will yield the best results.
A vendor whose task is to deal explicitly with this problem, understanding SharePoint Server performance characteristics as well as having an exhaustive knowledge of hardware capability, is almost certainly going to design and build a much better system than even the most experienced SharePoint Server administrator can.
The key is to understand that converged architecture systems are tailored for specific workloads and that a converged architecture system designed to host SharePoint is different from a converged architecture system designed to host Exchange or Virtualization workloads. When an organization is deciding between an “off the shelf” server configuration or a converged architecture configuration, they are going to get far more value going with a converged architecture system if the specific workload they have in mind fits their converged architecture solution.
Underwritten by HPE
Part of HPE’s Power of One strategy, HPE Converged Architecture 700 delivers infrastructure as one integrated stack. HPE Converged Architecture 700 delivers proven, repeatable building blocks of infrastructure maintained by one management platform (HPE OneView), built and delivered exclusively by qualified HPE Channel Partners. This methodology saves considerable time and resources, compared to the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach.
Based on a complete HPE stack consisting of HPE BladeSystem with Intel® Xeon® E5 v3-based HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9 blades, HPE 3PAR StoreServ all-flash storage, HPE Networking, and HPE OneView infrastructure management software, the HPE Converged Architecture 700 can be easily modified to fit within your existing IT environment.
