This new solution leverages Nutanix’s Enterprise Cloud OS software, (which includes free AHV hypervisor) delivered through HPE GreenLake, to provide businesses with a fully HPE-managed hybrid cloud. In addition, Nutanix will enable its channel partners to sell HPE servers with Nutanix’s Enterprise Cloud OS software. All of these options give customers more choice when selecting server platforms.
It all sounds pretty straightforward, but after reading many articles in the press and comments on social media, I noticed that some people still have questions.
More choice of platforms
The first set of questions are around why the two companies partnered? This is a simple question to answer – it’s all about more choice. Businesses today are under constant pressure to innovate and accelerate their digital transformation.
However, current legacy approaches to hybrid IT present many challenges, including complex systems that require large IT operations staff, an increase in software licensing and operating costs, and concerns over vendor lock-in. All of these challenges result in businesses losing flexibility in a world that demands more choice and agility. The new HPE and Nutanix partnership provides more choices to customers using hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI).
Nutanix customers now have an expanded choice of hardware platforms to run and deploy their use cases on. This choice of hardware platforms will be supported with both HPE and Nutanix offering Level 1 support with a call transfer process back and forth, enabling hardware items to be handed to HPE and software items directed to Nutanix.
More choice of consumption models
Another area of confusion centers on a general lack of knowledge of HPE GreenLake. HPE GreenLake is a new consumption-based IT model that marks a paradigm shift in the way businesses operate IT. It focuses on outcome-based consumption, while radically simplifying IT and freeing up resources.
HPE GreenLake delivers a wide variety of as-a-Service offerings leveraging HPE solutions and a broad ecosystem of partners. These include HPE portfolio products like HPE SimpliVity; solutions from public cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google; private cloud solutions based on VMware, Microsoft, and Red Hat; and popular software solutions, including Veeam, SAP, Hadoop, Commvault, Scality, and now Nutanix.
This partnership provides customers with a wider range of consumption models, including a pay-as-you-go service via HPE GreenLake – an offering that dramatically lowers total cost of ownership and accelerates time to value.
What about HPE SimpliVity?
Another area of confusion seems to be around HPE SimpliVity. Some are wondering if this partnership is an indication that HPE is moving away from the HCI market? Again the answer to this is a simple one: No.
HPE is not reducing any investment in its flagship hyperconverged infrastructure platform. HPE SimpliVity powered by Intel® remains the strategic, lead-with HCI solution and a key element of the HPE Composable Cloud portfolio. HPE SimpliVity will continue to compete and provide healthy competition with Nutanix and other HCI partners.
How will the solution be delivered to market?
Lastly, several questions involve how HPE and Nutanix will deliver this new solution.
HPE and its worldwide channel partners will market and sell HPE GreenLake for Nutanix:
HPE GreenLake hybrid cloud as-a-Service based on Nutanix’s free AHV hypervisor and Nutanix Enterprise Cloud software
Nutanix along with its worldwide channel partners will deliver a new family of integrated HCI appliances based on HPE servers:
Nutanix DX product - Nutanix Enterprise Cloud software factory installed on HPE ProLiant DX and HPE Apollo DX servers through Nutanix channel partners
Hopefully, this article dispels some of the questions readers have about the partnership. I have always been fascinated in how and why certain partnerships are formed -- this one is no different. Going forward, I will be very interested to see how customers are able to use these two solutions (expected to be available in calendar Q3 2019) to innovate and accelerate their digital transformation.
HPE and Nutanix will showcase their combined offerings at their respective customer conferences this year: Nutanix .Next on May 7-9, 2019 in Anaheim, California; and HPE Discover on June 17-19, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Chris Purcell
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
twitter.com/HPE_HybridCloud
linkedin.com/showcase/hpe-cloud
hpe.com/composable
Learn more about Intel®
Chris Purcell
Composable Infrastructure, Integrated and Multi-Cloud management, Hyperconverged Infrastructure and Cloud
