HPE welcomes the new Azure Stack HCI!

[mhardi01]

It’s a big day for hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI).  The world’s most cloud-connected HCI just got an overhaul, and Microsoft is (re)launching their Azure Stack HCI today <link to Microsoft announcement blog> .

The all-new Azure Stack HCI, available either as a download or pre-installed on hardware, replaces the current Azure Stack HCI offering which was built around Windows Server 2019 features. And with the new software comes new functionality including stretch clustering for DR – built-in async or sync replication for local high-availability or across metro distances, with optional encryption. In addition, the licensing is per core/per month, and gets bundled into the customer's existing Azure account. 

This is an important time for our Azure Stack HCI on Apollo 4200 solution as it now accommodates over twice the data capacity as when it was first validated.  This makes the solution even better for ‘Data centric’ workloads – where you need high capacity per node to run workloads like SQL Server, Exchange, Analytics, secondary storage and the like. With support for even larger capacity media, it can accommodate 829 Terabytes of data within its highly space-efficient 2U footprint, and almost 17PBs in a single rack.

If the customer needs more performance or flexibility, then the lead-with solution is one built on HPE ProLiant servers.  Or if the preference is for the entire offering – software and hardware – to be all as-a-Service, then HPE has that coming soon in a GreenLake offering.  Microsoft just updated the new program catalog so you’ll find just a few of our HPE validated solutions listed as of today, but that list will re-expand over the coming days.  

Info on the entire portfolio of all HPE solutions for Azure Stack HCI is online here.  Info specifically on the Azure Stack HCI on HPE Apollo solution is here.  And I ask that you engage with me as we develop and evolve our portfolio based on your needs and requests – please reply with questions or comments.