Azure Stack HCI Reviews

Name: Azure Stack HCI
Brand: Microsoft
Rating: 4.1 (4 reviews)

4.1 out of 5

4 reviews
100% willing to recommend

What is Azure Stack HCI?

Azure Stack HCI is used by government organizations to maintain local data center operations while accessing cloud services, offering efficient management of VMs through a single console.

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Azure Stack HCI is the #17 ranked solution in HCI Software. PeerSpot users give Azure Stack HCI an average rating of 8.2 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 65% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 12% of all views.

Helped 831,158 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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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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reviewer2537064

Engineering Technologist at Dell Technologies

Speaking about how Azure Stack HCI's scaling capabilities impacted our IT infrastructure management, I would say that the tool's scalability part is not that good because you, on paper, you can scale up to sixteen node clusters, but the optimal size of the cluster is somewhere between five to eight nodes or even five, six nodes at times. If you have four nodes with five million apps, then it won't mean that you can have eight nodes with eight million apps. You will have four nodes with five million apps and eight nodes with six million or seven million apps. The scaling-up process is not linear, and it is not the end of the challenge. I have never seen a customer doing many scaling-ups with the tool. It is quite a robust solution, but nowadays, we are not talking about the scalability features with the customers, as we are currently talking about the benefit of having a hybrid solution because it is connected to Azure, which can then allow you to consume some of Azure's services. It may not allow a user to consume everything under Azure's services, but a few of them can be used. Speaking about the integration with Azure services enhancing Azure Stack HCI's usage, I would say it is like a promise. When you keep asking what is available from Microsoft Azure Portal, you will find out that it is just the virtual machine deployment, and then you'll find out that the resource bridge can't support the virtual machines. It was more of a promise of what could be done in the future if Microsoft implemented it correctly. Everyone is eagerly waiting for 2024 Microsoft's release, which will most likely be in October. Azure Stack HCI support for initiatives in AI and machine learning is not something that Microsoft is discussing clearly. You can obviously use the GPUs that you can pass through into the containers, but there are no SKUs in Microsoft Azure Portal that can use the GPUs right away, so you have to attach them, making it kind of complicated, and there isn't a native AI available right now. It is a little challenging because Microsoft has to come up with something, but it hasn't come up with anything yet. I won't be able to recommend any other product in place of Azure Stack HCI. I recommend the tool to others. If you are into open-source tools, you would probably go with KVM, and if you know nothing about Microsoft, then Azure Stack HCI would not be the right solution for you. For most companies or corporations, Azure Stack HCI is suitable for them. It offers nice performance and specifications and is relatively cheaper than other tools. I used to work at Microsoft three years ago as a PFE. I used to write for workshops on how to use or what technology is used in Azure Stack HCI. I used to run the workshops. I trained internal people on the tool. I know a lot of big brands because I worked with the product managers at Microsoft, and we used to shape the products together. Even now, I still work closely with them, so I know a lot about the tool. I rate the tool an eight out of ten.

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PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	HCI	Jan 20, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jan 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Stack HCI vs VxRail	Jan 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Stack HCI vs VMware vSAN	Jan 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Stack HCI vs Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI)	Jan 20, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
VMware vSAN	4.2	16.4%	87%	229 interviews Add to research
VxRail	4.3	20.8%	93%	130 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Azure Stack HCI excels in software-defined networking with an intuitive drag-and-drop setup, Azure Kubernetes Service deployment for microservices, and advanced virtual machine management that minimizes physical servers. Users highlight its use of the latest processors, SSDs, and a robust 25 GB network. Companies appreciate its performance for data center optimization, achieving significant application deployment with a four-node setup using NVMe. Its Kubernetes environment surpasses alternatives, adding to its high value.

"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."
"The solution has the latest processor."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its ability to manage VMs."

Room for Improvement

Azure Stack HCI requires improvements in operational management and software-defined networking. Users find the setup process complex due to its reliance on PowerShell. Stability issues necessitate more updates and bug fixes. There is a need for better integration and multi-cluster management via Microsoft Azure Portal. Supporting Software Defined Networking is challenging, requiring more trained individuals. Complexities can make management difficult, and greater accessibility for user support is essential.

"The biggest challenge with the tool is not being able to manage everything from Microsoft Azure Portal."
"We faced multiple problems with the product’s stability."
"The product's initial setup phase can be a bit complex, making it an area where improvements are required."

ROI

ROI from Azure Stack HCI is seen as beneficial, with significant involvement in understanding business perspectives beyond technical aspects. Discussions centered on cost, time, and efficiency underline its value. Many users find reduced licensing costs advantageous, especially when utilizing existing Microsoft Software Assurance. Azure Arc's free availability further enhances value, especially compared to VMware. Engaging with stakeholders, including government entities, offered a comprehensive understanding of requirements and ROI outcomes.

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

Azure Stack HCI is used by organizations primarily to maintain services within their own data centers while enabling cloud capabilities selectively. It supports virtual machine creation and manageability, central monitoring of dashboards, and aligns CPU utilization data with Microsoft tools. Companies requiring high computing power and network performance find it beneficial. Professionals in the industry often recommend it for its capabilities in functional areas and key performance indicators.

Service and Support

Customers find Azure Stack HCI's customer service to be efficient, with support rated highly. Despite a few users having limited experience, training is enhancing familiarity. The technical support is praised for quick issue resolution. Some users leverage their own resources but acknowledge the support's affordability and ease through the Microsoft Azure Portal.

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

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Energy/Utilities Company

University

Healthcare Company

Retailer

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Educational Organization

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Insurance Company

Logistics Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Legal Firm

Media Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Hospitality Company

Recruiting/Hr Firm

Outsourcing Company

Non Profit

Pharma/Biotech Company

Transportation Company

Compare Azure Stack HCI with alternative products

Learn more about Azure Stack HCI

Azure Stack HCI effectively supports environments with high computing and network demands, such as Kubernetes. IT professionals advocate its use for managing functional areas and KPIs. Key features include software-defined networking and integration with Azure Kubernetes Service, enabling efficient microservices deployment. Organizations benefit from enhanced performance with the latest processors, SSDs, and robust network capabilities. Challenges include simplifying its deployment process and improving stability, especially in multi-cluster management.

What are the important features of Azure Stack HCI?

Software-defined networking: Efficient management with a drag-and-drop interface.
Azure Kubernetes Service integration: Seamless deployment of microservices.
Virtual machine management: Robust management of numerous VMs under one host.
Enhanced hardware support: Utilization of latest processors and high-speed SSDs.

What benefits should be considered in reviews?

Single console management: Ease in monitoring and managing VMs.
High performance: Supports up to five million applications.
Resource optimization: Efficient use of computing and networking resources.

Azure Stack HCI is implemented in industries with heavy data processing needs, such as government entities requiring local control of data centers while integrating cloud capabilities. It offers specialized support for demanding environments like Kubernetes, significantly benefiting IT operations.