HyperFlex

HyperFlex is Cisco's hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solution that combines compute, storage, and networking into an integrated system for data centers and branch offices. It is designed to simplify IT operations by providing a single, scalable platform for virtualized workloads and modern applications.

Rooted in Cisco UCS servers, HyperFlex uses the HyperFlex Data Platform, a software-defined storage layer that pools local disks and flash across the cluster to form a distributed storage fabric. This architecture supports scale-out growth, data locality, and resilience as nodes are added or removed, with data distribution and replication managed automatically by the software layer.

Management is provided through Cisco UCS Manager and Cisco Intersight, with integration for common virtualization environments such as VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V. HyperFlex also supports containerized workloads and can be used with Kubernetes as part of a modern application stack.

Typical deployments include virtual desktop infrastructure, databases, enterprise applications, and branch-office workloads, where deployment speed and consistent performance are valued. HyperFlex competes with other HCI platforms, including Nutanix, VMware vSAN, and Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct.

Since its introduction in the mid-2010s, HyperFlex has evolved through multiple revisions, expanding data services, mixed-workload support, and management capabilities to address evolving data-center needs.