> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.verge.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals.md).

# Module 1: Architecture Fundamentals

- [Overview](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/01-architecture.md): Understand the VergeOS platform architecture, deployment models, storage, networking, and cluster concepts.
- [What is VergeOS?](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/01-vergeos-overview.md): An overview of the VergeOS ultraconverged operating system, its core components, differentiators, and common use cases.
- [HCI vs UCI: Deployment Models](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/02-hci-vs-uci.md): Understand the two VergeOS deployment architectures -- Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) and Ultra Converged Infrastructure (UCI) -- and when to recommend each.
- [vSAN / VergeFS: Software-Defined Storage](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/03-vsan-vergefs.md): Understand how VergeOS vSAN (VergeFS) provides distributed, software-defined storage with tiered architecture, hash-based data distribution, and self-healing redundancy.
- [Core Fabric & Networking](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/04-core-fabric.md): Understand the VergeOS core fabric — the private inter-node mesh that carries vSAN replication, VM migration, and control-plane traffic — along with the external network separation model.
- [Clusters & Node Types](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/05-clusters-nodes.md): Learn how VergeOS organizes physical servers into clusters, understand the different node types (controller, scale-out, storage-only, compute-only), and how systems scale.
- [Lab: Explore the Architecture](https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals/lab.md): Hands-on exploration of VergeOS deployment topologies using the Terraform playground. Trace infrastructure-as-code patterns, compare scenarios, and design a topology for a customer use case.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.verge.io/learn-the-platform/module-1-architecture-fundamentals.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.