Synopsis: When NetApp announced the EOL for our Solidfire clusters in mid-2021, we faced a critical choice. The cost of replacing our SAN with new scale-out solutions was prohibitive, exacerbated by COVID supply chain issues and slow Cisco support. We needed a new approach to our datacenter strategy.
After exploring various scale-out HCI options, narrowing our focus on hypervisors that support VSAN and with the VMware acquisition by Broadcom announced in 2022, it only reaffirmed our need for a fresh start. That was when we were introduced to Verge.io.
In this session, we'll delve into the capabilities of VergeOS and discuss how it has reshaped our entire datacenter approach. We’ll feature a technical discussion with Verge.io’s SVP of Engineering, offering insights into the solution’s innovative virtualized datacenter infrastructure design which made our dream of datacenter 2.0 a reality.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, moving file storage to the cloud is not just a trend—it's a necessity. This session brings together professionals with deep experience in both Google Cloud and Microsoft OneDrive to guide you through the pros and cons of migrating your organization's file storage to either platform. The discussion will provide an in-depth comparison of these leading options, covering key aspects such as security, scalability, and ease of integration. Whether you're considering a shift to the cloud or looking to optimize your current setup, this session will equip you with the insights needed to make an informed decision tailored to your organization's needs.
You're strongly considering moving to the cloud… but what are you getting? Is the cloud more than just "someone else's datacenter?" Is it more than just VMs? Oh yeah it is! Let's talk about all of the other things you get from the cloud - from management and monitoring to security to managed services. KRESA uses over 50 AWS services so we'll cover some of the things we're using and how we're using them to do things at scale we couldn't do in our datacenter.
During the last server replacement cycle, Mason Consolidated Schools decided to utilize Microsoft's Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (Azure HCI). This session will cover their journey from VMware and XenServer to Microsoft's Hyper-V and the Azure HCI solution. Technology Director Jason Burt will guide participants through the steps and lessons learned during the process, from data collection and system design to setup and implementation. The session will also highlight Windows Admin Center, Azure Arc, and the various tools the district currently uses to manage its new server infrastructure.
Additional topics will include mitigating disaster recovery with a headless server, the importance of PowerShell, troubleshooting Azure's resource groups, rights, and quirks, and implementing an automated hardware predictive failure response solution. The session will also emphasize the fun and educational aspects of working with this evolving technology. Whether you are considering HCI or just want to learn more about Windows Admin Center, both on-premises and in the cloud, this session will provide valuable insights.
This session is aimed at providing an overview of the most effective strategies for managing and securing endpoints within an organization as well as dive into how you can be more effective with CoPilot and how to develop your rollout framework.
• Software deployment: how to automate device deployments, software configuration, and updates across different devices and platforms • Security measures: how to protect endpoints from malware, ransomware, and other threats using antivirus, firewall, encryption, and other centralize tools • Create hype and usage governance for your M365 Copilot rollout? o Access link to a Launch Day kit to get started with your Copilot rollout goals. o Calm the fear of using Copilot and secure access internal and external data.
Want to learn more about Hyper-V if you are still contemplating options if you are moving away from VMware? We migrated 6 years ago to Hyper-V, and we upgraded from Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct HCI to Azure Stack HCI cluster this summer. I will discuss licensing, options to leverage existing hardware vs considering new hardware/HCI options, show the management interface, and answer any questions about moving to Hyper-V.
