Timeless storage with HPE 3PAR: Because you are done with storage fads

[StorageExperts]

There couldn’t be a better time for this approach to data storage: Timeless storage with HPE 3PAR delivers a storage experience that keeps getting better through innovation in technology and business model.

Recently on Around the Storage Block, we’ve had a series of posts focused on the HPE point of view.  For a quick background on what this is, I suggest checking out the initial post from HPE Storage Guy Calvin Zito where he introduced the three pillars of the HPE Point of View: Predictive, Cloud Ready, and Timeless.  And this recent post by Beth Joseph on intelligent storage and how it learns, adapts, self-adjusts to help bring business strategies to life.

In this post, I want to dive into the Timeless topic. I’ll be discussing what this means for HPE 3PAR Storage and showcase how a couple of our customers are benefiting. For example:

• YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP, the world’s leading online luxury fashion retailer, is easily and cost effectively able to scale its 3PAR all-flash storage to meet peak demand on baffling shopping days like Cyber Friday and Cyber Monday.
• FUNN, a leading Norwegian IT Service Provider, is optimizing cash flow to align with their own business model.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, let’s define “Timeless.” Rather than discuss what it is, let’s start with what it is not: a fad.

Unfortunately, everybody has firsthand experience with a fad 

Say NO to fads!If you don’t believe me, I suggest you go check out your high school yearbook picture.  A fad is defined as an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object's qualities.

I’ve experienced my fair share from bopping my head along to the beat of Psy’s Gangnam Style (I blame my daughter), pleating my jeans so tight I couldn’t feel my feet (two words: high school), or searching for pokestops playing Pokemon GO (again I blame my daughter).

A storage experience that keeps getting better with age

Here at HPE Storage, we have no interest in passing fads. That’s why one of our primary objectives is to deliver a storage experience that keeps getting better through innovation in technology and the business model.  We do this by eliminating some of the unpleasant “surprises” that come with some storage platforms—such as unplanned downtime, forklift upgrade gotchas, charging for every feature, and ever-increasing support costs.

For example, HPE Nimble Storage and HPE 3PAR StoreServ all-flash arrays have all-inclusive licensing, offer flexible refresh options and provide 6-nines guaranteed availability—while also demonstrating that they are future-proof by accommodating new technologies such as Storage Class Memory (SCM) and NVMe.

Claiming to be future-proof is a big statement and one I don’t make lightly.  For 3PAR, it’s easy to say because we have a proven track record of easily adapting to any type of underlying media.  We’ve already showcased the benefits of SCM and NVMe with 3PAR and we’ve got a history of leading the market by integrating the latest enterprise-class SSD technologies.  As Dr. Dre would say “been there, done that.”

Cloud-like consumption models help 3PAR customers transform their business

Another way that HPE illustrates this future-proof quality is by allowing customers to consume storage on a per-GB basis with no upfront payments—a pay-per-use model with the ability to scale up and scale down. This includes built-in, non-disruptive technology refresh options to keep customers up-to-date with the latest flash technologies.

The benefits our customers are experiencing from this flexible business model are limitless.  Two of my favorite examples are YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP and FUNN.

Onsite buffer to handle surges in demand

First let’s look at YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP, the world’s leading online luxury fashion retailer with over 9.5 million orders per year. The holiday shopping season can account for roughly 40% of a retailer’s annual sales. How can online retailers, where competition is only a click away, ensure they address this surge in transactions? 

YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP turned to HPE 3PAR all-flash storage with HPE GreenLake Flexible Capacity. With 3PAR and HPE GreenLake, YOOX NET-A-PORTER is able to provision capacity in a matter of minutes from a ready-to-use buffer that resides within their data center. It’s similar to a public-cloud experience for on-premises IT—with no months-long procurement cycle and no upfront capital costs. This allows the online luxury retailer to quickly scale up capacity to handle peak shopping days like Cyber Monday, and avoid spending on unused capacity. Check out this video for more details.

Pay for what you use

FUNN, a leading Norwegian IT Service Provider, was looking for ways to avoid spending capital on IT. They wanted a flexible solution that could align infrastructure costs to their own monthly recurring revenues.

With HPE 3PAR all-flash storage and HPE GreenLake Flexible Capacity, FUNN was able to implement a pay-as-you-go solution that is billed monthly based on metered usage. Capital is not tied up and capacity does not run out, so it’s an ideal solution for a service provider whose needs rise and fall in line with business demand.  Best of all, FUNN is able to focus on its own business since HPE does all the work around capacity planning and online upgrades. Watch here as our customers, including FUNN, share their stories. 

Invest in the future with 3PAR all-flash storage

At HPE, we understand that storage infrastructure is an investment. It’s one your business relies on today to deliver on tomorrow. This investment has to deliver “painlessly” into the future as the demands on your applications increase.

As our customers’ experiences demonstrate, HPE 3PAR all-flash data storage with GreenLake Flexible Capacity is an example of how 3PAR is not only Timeless but also keeps getting better through innovation in technology and business model.

Check out this brochure for information: HPE 3PAR Timeless Storage—A storage experience that keeps getting better through innovation in technology and the business mode

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 Meet Around the Storage Block blogger Matt Morrissey, 3PAR Product Marketing Manager, HPE.