Server guys: Are you running fewer than 200 virtual machines?

Mid-sized companies can reduce technical debt and free up IT budgets by switching to hyperconverged infrastructure systems (HCIS) in their next data centre refresh.

So says Gartner, which defines 'mid-market' as companies with fewer than 200 virtual machines.

The IT analyst firm's recommendation appears to be getting through to a lot of you already, with 40 per cent of midsize businesses expected to replace all data centre servers and storage with integrated systems by 2018, up from single figures this year. (source: Gartner Small and Business Buying Preferences survey).

Here's why: HCIS systems can be significantly cheaper than best-of-breed infrastructure components - such as rack servers and SANs. But if you are on a tight budget you will have to look beyond the top tier "magic quadrant vendors", Gartner says.

Also, the simpler software-centric architecture means lower running costs. Currently, mid-market businesses spend almost 70 per cent of their IT budgets to "run the business" and have to cope with the technical debt associated, with maintenance, integration complexity and performance within the data centre. By making the switch to HCIS, companies can free up their IT budget for things that actually create business value.

However, a certain amount of re-skilling of staff will be necessary. Often infrastructure teams are pretty specialised with roles tied to specific hardware and software platforms. Converged hardware also implies converge skills - does this mean that return of the IT generalist?

Simplivity, coincidentally a second-tier HCIS vendor, has licensed the Gartner briefing - Simplify the Midmarket Data Center With Hyperconverged Infrastructure Solutions - for distribution. This means you can read it in return for registering your details. ®