Software Defined Everything (SDx), appears to have a lot in common with the idea of infrastructure convergence. So much, in fact, that many people in the tech field get confused—what is the difference between SDx and convergent infrastructure?

To understand SDx, it's necessary to begin with traditional IT infrastructure: computing, storage, and networking. These used to be delegated to separate departments but in a modern data center, these functions can be controlled entirely from a single software management layer in a hardware-independent environment through Software Defined Network (SDN) technology. Convergence occurs when data centers eschew separate, proprietary systems and simply use virtualized ones that integrate completely with the existing software-defined infrastructure.

Where SDNs and Convergent Infrastructure Coincide

In a modern data center environment, virtualization has long been an apt solution to achieving 'one box' functionality. Infrastructure convergence occurs when virtual switches are implemented for handling internal traffic between the virtual interfaces. When this approach is combined with complete abstraction from physical hardware, the resulting hyper-converged infrastructure is what we call Software Defined Everything.

Software Defined Internet Exchange ( IXP) brings the benefits of SDN infrastructure to interdomain routing, allowing data center companies to be independent of their hardware technology. With virtual interfaces present at every level of business operation, data centers are now free to choose self-managing solutions that gracefully sidestep a wide array of concerns including compatibility issues and hardware switching infrastructure.

Thanks to the hyperconverged infrastructure offered by SDx technology, software products do not need to be designed with hardware storage constraints at all. Virtualization and convergence liberates the data center from this concern almost entirely.

Is Hardware Still Important?

It may sound like it no longer matters what type of data storage methods companies use, but the truth is that hardware does still matter — a lot. Compatibility and storage types are no longer obstacles to productive business activity, but even the most sophisticated SDN has to live somewhere—it needs good hardware to function properly.

This all means that as a data center operator, your choice of hardware infrastructure is still critical to your business's success. Hyperconvergent SDx infrastructure allows you to be much more flexible with your hardware than ever before, but trying to leverage multiple complex layers of storage virtualization in order to compensate for poorly chosen hardware will never work reliably.

Is Hardware Still Important?

While the news about software defined technology and hyperconvergence may sound like it no longer matters what type of data storage methods companies use, the truth is that hardware does still matter. Compatibility and storage types are no longer obstacles to productive business activity, but even the most sophisticated SDN has to live somewhere—it needs good hardware to function properly.

This means that, as a data center operator, your choice of hardware infrastructure is still critical to your business's success. Hyperconvergent SDx infrastructure allows you to be much more flexible with your hardware than ever before, but trying to leverage multiple complex layers of storage virtualization in order to compensate for poorly chosen hardware will never work reliably.

The bottom line is that data centers still need to carefully develop their hardware infrastructures in order to thrive in a world increasingly dominated by Software Defined Everything. Convergence makes this easier and produces more consistent results while giving operators flexibility in their hardware choices.

Implementing SDx in Your Data Center

Data storage technology companies have come up with very different ways to implement these developments in their clients' data centers. This is part of the reason why the definition of software-defined and hyperconvergent infrastructures seems to be so blurred.

The approaches data storage companies rely on are typically based on simply selling new hardware to clients, but Arrow partners use a unique consultative approach to software defined resources that maximize the end-user investment in hardware. To learn more, sign up for the Arrow On Point podcast.