Azure Stack HCI Reviews

Name: Azure Stack HCI
Brand: Microsoft
Rating: 4.0 (5 reviews)

4.0 out of 5

5 reviews
100% willing to recommend

What is Azure Stack HCI?

Azure Stack HCI efficiently integrates software-defined networking and Azure Kubernetes Service, offering a streamlined hybrid setup for VM management while maintaining top performance.

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Azure Stack HCI is the #13 ranked solution in HCI Software. PeerSpot users give Azure Stack HCI an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Azure Stack HCI is most commonly compared to VMware vSAN: Azure Stack HCI vs VMware vSAN. Azure Stack HCI is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 63% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 11% of all views.

Helped 838,713 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Sushil MIshra

AG at SIS.

We were looking for a solution with high computing features and IOPS. We also have high network requirements. We have a production environment that runs on Kubernetes The solution has the latest processor. It provides the new SSD and a 25 GB network. The Kubernetes environment is better than that…

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Nicholas Diesel

Solution Architect DC at Natilik

Azure Site Recovery is brilliant. The integration with Azure using Azure Arc is excellent. Additionally, Azure storage for local usage is very efficient for an HCI product. There has been some return on investment in terms of time usability and reduction of footprint, and obviously, HCI two emissions and other factors.

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Vineeth Marar

Cloud solution architect at 0

This solution was important for integration, on-premises and cloud environments. When you run these services on-premises, everything stays on-premises, and the customer has complete visibility into those services. This is because everything runs in VMs within a Hyper-V cluster registered with Azure using Azure Arc. That's what we call Azure Stack HCI in a nutshell. Now, the integration part allows us to leverage many Azure filters and manage services. For example, if we enable monitoring with the Azure monitoring agent, Log Analytics agent, etc., we can send all the data to Azure and use Azure Defender or Sentinel to analyze the data and get threat intelligence. This intelligence can be used to provide security measures through the Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) center. It allows for instant creation, auto-response, and other functionalities. That's one area of integration. Another way is through managed services. Imagine your applications running in the Stack HCI cluster and the database running in Azure, perhaps as a managed service like Cosmos DB or even a simple SQL database in an Azure VM. This is another way to achieve integration. So, monitoring and security are some of the best use cases for integration. We can have multi-layered applications that include both Azure services and on-premises resources like the Hyper-V cluster.

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PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	HCI	Feb 22, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Feb 22, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Stack HCI vs VxRail	Feb 22, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Stack HCI vs VMware vSAN	Feb 22, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Stack HCI vs Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI)	Feb 22, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
VMware vSAN	4.2	16.2%	87%	230 interviews Add to research
VxRail	4.3	19.7%	93%	130 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Azure Stack HCI shines with software-defined networking, enabling virtual network configuration with ease. Its ability to manage VMs allows significant server consolidation. Running Azure Kubernetes Service within the cluster enhances containerized microservice deployment. Performance optimization is notable, especially with NVMe support. Azure Site Recovery and Azure Arc integration provide superior efficiency and time usability benefits. Azure storage boosts local usage effectiveness, supporting an impressive data center operation transformation.

"The scalability is extremely good."
"The integration with Azure using Azure Arc is excellent."
"The features of Azure Stack HCI that have proven to be the most beneficial for optimizing our company's data center operations revolve around its performance."

Room for Improvement

Azure Stack HCI requires enhancements in software-defined networking and operational simplicity. The setup process is complex and deployment is lengthy. Stability issues and insufficient versions need addressing. Improved integration with Microsoft Azure Portal for multi-cluster management is desired. Storage architecture, integrated switching, and the virtualization platform require updates. Training more personnel familiar with software-defined networking is necessary to provide support across different time zones. HyperV's performance lags behind VMware, indicating a need for improvement.

"Hyper V seems to lag behind compared to VMware."
"A little bit of the storage architecture could be improved."
"The biggest challenge with the tool is not being able to manage everything from Microsoft Azure Portal."

ROI

Azure Stack HCI delivers notable returns, evident in cost efficiency and time savings. Customers benefit from reduced licensing costs, especially those with Microsoft Software Assurance. Azure Arc is free with Azure Stack HCI, further enhancing value. Insights show increased understanding of hybrid solutions and the stakeholder landscape, addressing both technical and business requirements. It offers a favorable return demonstrated in performance and features, decreasing reliance on traditional technical support and improving resource management.

Pricing

"The pricing is high compared to other tools."
"The main licenses are the OS licenses, the OEM licenses, and so on. They are very much aligned with the cost of expectations. We never had any challenges with the licensing at all."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Azure Stack HCI to maintain services within their data centers while accessing cloud features. Government entities utilize it for data privacy by running services locally. Companies create and manage VMs, utilizing Azure Stack HCI for monitoring through a unified console. High computing power and IOPS make it suitable for production environments with Kubernetes, offering seamless cloud integration. Users find Azure Stack HCI beneficial for VM management and simplifying cloud computing processes.

Service and Support

Azure Stack HCI customer service and support receives mixed feedback. Some users find it challenging due to familiarity issues, yet technical support is rated highly, achieving a ten out of ten by some. User experiences indicate issues get resolved when escalated. Support is considered accessible and cost-effective, with the Microsoft Azure Portal facilitating easy ticket creation. Customer service ratings hover between seven and eight out of ten.

Deployment

Azure Stack HCI's initial setup received mixed feedback. Some found the process manageable, with Arc and HCI aiding orchestration, requiring only data and application configuration. Others described it as intricate due to the engineers' implementation. Correctly following prerequisites, such as IP addresses and network cables, ensures smoother installation. Maintenance posed minor issues due to occasional bugs. Although setup could take up to ten days, it was viewed as moderately challenging, with some rating it eight out of ten in complexity.

Scalability

Azure Stack HCI offers robust scalability with both vertical and horizontal scaling options. Users appreciate its ability to automate processes and maintain high availability, even when multiple nodes experience issues. Its integration with cloud technology enhances its reliability. Companies have easily expanded their infrastructure, configuring additional applications and nodes without challenges. Azure Stack HCI effectively supports numerous users and virtual machines, earning high satisfaction ratings for its scalability capabilities.

Stability

Azure Stack HCI is considered stable by users, given that it is based on the long-established Hyper-V. It offers a three-level cluster system with the ability to include up to 16 nodes, ensuring redundancy and scalability. Some feedback indicates it is not entirely mature, with stability rated at seven out of ten. Despite this, its stability is generally acknowledged by those utilizing it.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Azure Stack HCI Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Retailer

Energy/Utilities Company

University

Healthcare Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Legal Firm

Educational Organization

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Insurance Company

Logistics Company

Non Profit

Consumer Goods Company

Media Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Hospitality Company

Recruiting/Hr Firm

Sports Company

Transportation Company

Performing Arts

Outsourcing Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Non Tech Company

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Learn more about Azure Stack HCI

Azure Stack HCI enhances data center operations with high-end processors and storage, optimal Kubernetes support, and integration with Azure Arc and Azure Site Recovery. High application density in four-node configurations improves both time and infrastructure efficiency. Despite its strengths, the platform can improve in areas like software-defined networking, operational management, and simplifying deployments, which currently rely on PowerShell. Users often desire better training and integration with Microsoft Azure Portal, along with multi-cluster capabilities and storage architecture enhancements. Improvements in Hyper V virtualization are also needed to match competitors like VMware.

What are the key features of Azure Stack HCI?

Software-defined Networking: Streamlines network management and enhances hybrid setups.
Azure Kubernetes Service: Superior support for container orchestration in hybrid environments.
Azure Arc Integration: Expands management capabilities across hybrid clouds.
Azure Site Recovery: Increases resilience and disaster recovery options.
High-end Processors and Storage: Delivers peak performance for demanding tasks.

What are the potential benefits of Azure Stack HCI?

Performance Efficiency: Reduces server needs while maintaining application performance.
Scalability: Supports high application counts with improved resource utilization.
Time Efficiency: Streamlines infrastructure management for quicker deployments.
Enhanced Operations: Benefits from high IOPS and comprehensive VM management.

In sectors like government, Azure Stack HCI is crucial for running secure on-premise services with selectable Azure features to ensure data privacy. Businesses leverage the platform for VM creation, management, and monitoring through Windows Center, alongside Kubernetes production environments. Connectivity with Azure allows for smoother cloud transitions, appreciated for its dashboard manageability and substantial network capacity.