HPE launches HCI solutions to enable businesses during COVID-19 lockdowns

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has extended its remote workforce initiatives with extended HCI solutions and offerings.

Specifically, HPE has launched its HPE SimpliVity 325 Gen 10 hyperconverged infrastructure solution (HCI) with the new 2nd Gen AMD EPYCTM processor, therefore doubling the virtual desktops supported per server to provide businesses a 50% lower cost per remote worker.

According to HPE, businesses need a reliable, high performing, and highly secure workspace for their remote employees.

HPE SimpliVity aims to provide an intelligent, software-defined HCI solution that simplifies the time needed to deploy, manage, and scale VDI. This is now orderable globally direct and through channel partners, with expected shipping in late May 2020.

Furthermore, HPE Nimble Storage dHCI, a disaggregated HCI platform released last year, is now available through HPE GreenLake, enabling virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and virtual machines as-a-service with a pay as you go model.

Additions to Nimble Storage dHCI includes increased scale and support for expanded HPE ProLiant server models with the new 2nd Gen AMD EPYCTM processor, helping customers use VDI for unpredictable workloads, large scale environments, and performance intensive desktop users, the company states.

Furthermore, for expanded server support and scale, HPE Nimble Storage dHCI has added support for HPE ProLiant DL325, DL385, DL560, and DL580 servers, and increased the scale of servers supported from 20 to 32.

HPE Nimble Storage dHCI enables HPE ProLiant customers to convert their existing server investments into a disaggregated HCI.

HPE Nimble Storage dHCI has also simplified lifecycle management with one-click, unified software upgrades for server firmware, hypervisor and storage software, saving IT productivity time and de-risking upgrades. The upgrades can be performed directly in VMware vCentre.

The expanded server support, scale and one-click software upgrade enhancements will be available globally direct and through channel partners in 2H2020.

According to HPE, businesses have had to shift their workforce to a virtual office environment due to COVID-19, there has been mounting pressure on IT to quickly enable a remote workforce.

Meeting the business and employee needs for VDI requires solving the challenges associated with performance, scale, complexity, and data protection, HPE states.

HPE SimpliVity and HPE Nimble Storage dHCI have been designed to address the limitations of traditional infrastructure and provide businesses with intelligent management, easier scalability, cloud data protection, and the performance to support every worker, including knowledge users, the company states.

HPE states it is focused on providing businesses with solutions that can help IT optimise their infrastructure to deliver secure, reliable remote access.

HPE SimpliVity VP and general manager Patrick Osborne says, "The COVID-19 global pandemic is an unprecedented situation that is affecting all businesses, our communities, and our way of life.

"As an edge-to-cloud platform-as-a-service company, HPE is here to help our clients bring together the right expertise and technology solutions to meet their most immediate challenges and unexpected demands.

"With these challenges, customers are looking to rapidly unleash mobile productivity and desktop virtualisation, and HPE SimpliVity and Nimble Storage dHCI solutions provide performance and flexible payment options for our customers.

HPE has also announced financial offers for businesses looking for ways to manage cash flow. The company states its HCI offerings for VDI are supported through HPE Financial Services, which can help release capital from existing infrastructures, defer payments, and provide pre-owned tech to relieve capacity strain.

As part of the innovative financing structures to reduce cash outlays during uncertainty, HPE SimpliVity and Nimble dHCI customers can delay payments for up to 180 days to help preserve cash, the company states.