HPE hybrid cloud solutions pave way to Windows Server 2025

[mhardi01]

It was only a few months back when we were part of the announcement of Windows Server 2025 at this past Microsoft Ignite event. Since then, we’re seeing large customers making changes to their IT infrastructure plans relating to Windows versions. Windows Server continues to be key to our deals, whether it’s part of a VDI deployment, SAP, or in one case, the need to re-build datacenter capacity as workloads moved back from the public cloud presumably due to cost. Of the hundreds of Windows-related deals in progress, I recall one where the customer stated they want “robust and high-performance technological infrastructure” and we know we can deliver that, in part with the latest Windows Server.

On the road to Windows Server 2025

We were excited to have testing broadly underway in early 2024 to ensure day-zero support of Windows Server 2025 for as many of our products as possible, and we targeted over a couple dozen models across 16 different Storage product lines. This final list, along with all our latest Microsoft certifications, validations, and integrations is now available online.

There were a number of highly anticipated features of Windows Server 2025, including Hot-patching, next-gen Active Directory and SMB, and enhanced Hyper-V & AI capabilities. Though the hot patching had been requested for a long time as it enables updates with fewer reboots, I think the increased investment in Hyper-V turned out to be the most strategic move, especially with the IT world’s revulsion to Broadcom’s VMware licensing hikes. Companies continue to make the move from VMware, and Hyper-V leads as an alternative in terms of broad ecosystem, track-record, and low-cost. Though new options such as HPE VM Essentials are also becoming available.

If you want robust and high-performance technological infrastructure build it on the latest Windows Server

HPE hybrid cloud products ride on Windows Server 2025

This newest version of Windows Server lets customers better embrace a hybrid, adaptive cloud. And our business unit within HPE is all about ‘hybrid cloud’. So we’re expecting this version to play a key role in our solutions, helping customers make the most of on-prem along with Azure cloud and multi-cloud computing possibilities.

Here are a couple important use cases we’re seeing with the newest Windows Server:

• Azure Arc operations – You can connect a Windows Server to the Azure cloud by ‘arc-enabling’ it, which makes it a resource manageable through the Azure portal. It’s an easy button for hybrid cloud computing, and brings immediate IT Ops benefits from unifying system configuration, governance, data protection, and monitoring across on-prem and cloud-based resources.
• Alternative to VMware – As the majority of VMware customers seek hypervisor alternatives, Windows Server 2025 provides both a technologically enhanced, yet familiar and relatively affordable option. We’ve published a couple recent items to help with your move – a business brief on the overall migration opportunity, and a solution team technical blog with guidance on VM conversion.

Start your journey to HPE hybrid cloud on Windows Server

Windows Server 2025 and HPE hybrid cloud products help you realize the best of Microsoft Azure cloud-connected functionality with the availability, control, and security of on-premises HPE infrastructure.  Here’s a new write-up on the key ways we’re using Windows Server 2025 in our offerings: click here to download new solution brief