The News: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) released the latest update to its GreenLake for Block Storage service, based on the HPE Alletra Storage MP platform. The update includes new switched node options, increased capacity, NVMe/TCP support, a new data reduction guarantee, and AI-based reporting and analytics. Read more in the press release on the HPE website.
HPE Enhances GreenLake for Block Storage
Analyst Take: HPE’s GreenLake for Block Storage service is receiving a significant enhancement with its third major release. The service was first announced in 2022, leveraging previous Alletra Systems, and was updated in 2023 to support the new Alletra Storage MP. The concept around HPE Alletra Storage MP is a singular, modular hardware platform that can be used as the foundation of various HPE GreenLake Services. Alongside the HPE GreenLake for Block Storage on Alletra Storage MP, HPE additionally released an HPE GreenLake for File Storage offering that uses the same Alletra Storage MP hardware platform with VAST Data file software.
While the concept of Alletra Storage MP to provide scalable, disaggregated block storage is compelling, the initial release did not fully deliver on this concept. While the file storage offering provided a scale-out architecture, the initial block offering was limited to a scale up architecture with a dual controller node and additional JBOF capacity nodes. The new release adds new multi-node switched configurations with support for 2 or 4 nodes. The new switched configurations add both improved performance and capacity with up to 8 JBOFs and a capacity range from 15.36 TB to 2.8 PB raw.
With the new multi-node configurations, the HPE GreenLake for Block Storage can expand its market from a midrange system to competing as a higher end, scale-out system. As HPE continues to develop Alletra Storage MP and the HPE GreenLake for Block Storage service, I predict the addition of even greater scale-out capabilities at some point in the future. Greater scale-out capability will further drive the vision of HPE’s disaggregated storage platform that uses Alletra Storage MP as modular building blocks, providing greater performance, capacity, and flexibility to compete with other scale-out block storage platforms currently in the market.
In addition to the multi-node configurations, HPE GreenLake for Block Storage release 3 added other significant enhancements including:
- NVMe/TCP support
- HPE StoreMore 4:1 Compaction Guarantee
- AI-based reporting and analytics
The update is a significant improvement for both HPE GreenLake for Block Storage and the Alletra Storage MP platform. The addition of a multi-node switched model now positions the solution as the scale out, disaggregated block storage platform that was envisioned upon the initial announcement last year. The additional updates such as NVMe/TCP support, a 4:1 compaction guarantee, and improved analytics additionally bolster the platform’s capabilities and competitiveness in the market.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
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Author Information
Mitch comes to The Futurum Group through the acquisition of the Evaluator Group and is focused on the fast-paced and rapidly evolving areas of cloud computing and data storage. Mitch joined Evaluator Group in 2019 as a Research Associate covering numerous storage technologies and emerging IT trends.
With a passion for all things tech, Mitch brings deep technical knowledge and insight to The Futurum Group’s research by highlighting the latest in data center and information management solutions. Mitch’s coverage has spanned topics including primary and secondary storage, private and public clouds, networking fabrics, and more. With ever changing data technologies and rapidly emerging trends in today’s digital world, Mitch provides valuable insights into the IT landscape for enterprises, IT professionals, and technology enthusiasts alike.
