The News: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced an update to its recently launched HPE GreenLake for File Storage offering that includes enhancements to capacity and throughput with new drive and InfiniBand options. The enhancements are focused on addressing the needs of emerging file storage workloads, specifically AI. Read more about the GreenLake for File Storage update in this blog post from HPE.
HPE Enhances GreenLake for File Storage for AI Workloads
Analyst Take: HPE announced an update to its GreenLake for File Storage offering, the HPE Alletra Storage MP platform running VAST Data software for file services (which recently released version 5.0). The platform was announced earlier this year, along with a block storage solution that can be deployed on the same hardware platform.
Improved Capacity Density and Throughput
The latest update focuses on increasing both the capacity density and the overall throughput of the system. The announcement includes support for new 30 TB NVMe SSDs and support for the NVIDIA Quantum 2 InfiniBand networking platform, which will support RDMA and GPUDirect. HPE has stated that the new enhancements will be available in the first half of 2024 and that the updates provide a 7 times increase in capacity density and throughput. HPE has also claimed that the enhanced solution will offer 2.3 times the performance density and capacity of competitive systems.
Improved density and throughput are typically useful enhancements that can apply to almost any workload or storage requirement, but the intention around these particular enhancements of GreenLake for File Storage is clear – they are focused on AI. The enhancements here targeted directly at the requirements for AI workloads, which typically utilize file data and high capacities and require high throughput to GPU compute. With this update, HPE has bolstered its file offering to better handle AI capacity demands with high-density, high-performance 30 TB NVMe flash drives. It has also addressed the need for providing throughput to GPU compute by adding support for NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand.
HPE GreenLake for File Storage Is Equipped for AI
The initial launch of HPE GreenLake for File Storage earlier this year was a smart move by HPE as it filled a much needed gap in the HPE storage portfolio by adding a modern, scalable file system. By utilizing VAST Data software, HPE initially set itself up well to position its solution toward demanding file workloads such as AI. Now with further capacity and throughput enhancements, the HPE GreenLake for File Storage offering will be further equipped to handle organizations’ AI requirements.
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.
