Optimize, modernize, and simplify hybrid IT with HPE VM Essentials Software

[HPE_Experts]

By Hang Tan, SVP and COO, Hybrid Cloud, HPE

In recent years, CIOs have grappled with increasing cost pressures and greater urgency to modernize, all while keeping a lid on operational complexity. These pressures reached a tipping point in 2024, driven by unplanned cost increases and advancements in Gen AI. Many CIOs are re-evaluating their long-term IT strategies and are looking to HPE as their trusted partner to help answer three foundational questions:

1. How do I offset cost increases for my virtualized workloads?
2. How do I support both my current and future (cloud-native and AI) workload needs?
3. How do I simplify IT operations in a more heterogeneous IT environment?

At HPE Discover Las Vegas in June, I wrote about how HPE planned to support our customers with a native virtualization capability integrated into our private cloud offerings. The response we received from our customers was overwhelmingly positive and included valuable feedback.

Since then, we have been hard at work accelerating our roadmap for virtualization and hybrid cloud operations more broadly, fuelled by our acquisition of Morpheus Data. Today, I am pleased to announce the general release of our new HPE VM Essentials (VME) Software, which we will offer not only embedded in our HPE Private Cloud solutions but also offer as standalone software.

HPE VM Essentials Software

HPE VM Essentials is HPE’s new virtualization solution that allows customers to provision and manage kernel-based virtual machines (KVM) and VMware-based virtual machines from a single intuitive interface.

The solution comes with the KVM-based HPE VME hypervisor that is enhanced to include enterprise-grade cluster management with capabilities such as high availability, live migration, distributed workload placement, integrated data protection, and external storage support. It also includes integration with leading backup vendors Cohesity and Commvault.

HPE VM Essentials will come out of the box with value-added features for both VMware ESXi and VME hosts, such as a simple VM provisioning catalog, third-party IPAM and DNS integrations, secrets management, and task execution support. Customers will also enjoy an easy upgrade path to HPE’s full suite of hybrid cloud management capabilities with Morpheus and OpsRamp.

HPE VM Essentials includes full enterprise-level support and will be priced per CPU socket for HPE VME hosts, with no extra charge for connecting existing brownfield VMware clusters.

HPE VM Essentials will not only be economically attractive for customers to re-platform onto modern HPE infrastructure and enjoy the benefits of improved sustainability and security. With the addition of HPE VM Essentials as a standalone software offering, customers can also deploy the solution on existing infrastructure, allowing them to protect investments they have already made while significantly lowering virtualization cost.

Standalone software release details

In its initial release in December, HPE VM Essentials will support HPE ProLiant Gen11 and Gen10+ servers as well as HPE Alletra Storage MP, 6K, and 5K offerings. Support for additional HPE and third-party hardware infrastructure will follow.

Initial target use cases include development and testing environments, server virtualization, desktop virtualization (VDI). This will be followed by database and additional workload support as we work with HPE’s broad ISV ecosystem.

Customer reception

We just concluded our beta program, which was over-subscribed with more than 100 submission requests. The feedback we received was extremely positive, with customers and partners citing the intuitive user experience and completeness of the solution as highlights.

“HPE VM Essentials provides a real alternative to the status quo. With support for my existing hypervisor and a flexible path for future workloads, we can modernize our business for operational and resource efficiency."

Chris Macken, Vice President, IT Operations and Security, Cambrian Credit Union

“HPE VM Essentials and the broader HPE virtualization strategy with Morpheus are transforming the way our organization approaches virtualization. By leveraging these solutions, we're able to tackle the key challenges that are facing both ourselves and our customers - from operational inefficiencies to cost control - and achieve a unified, simplified infrastructure that drives greater productivity.”

Lee Solomonson, Director Advanced Technologies, Nth Generation Computing

Going beyond virtualization with proven approach to optimize, modernize, and simplify IT

As I mentioned, while virtualization and AI are the catalysts, our customers are using this opportunity to address a broader set of needs related to optimization, modernization, and simplification. HPE VM Essentials is an important building block that complements our broader set of hybrid cloud capabilities. These capabilities allow customers to adopt a more deliberate, hybrid-by-design strategy to control cost, future-proof IT, and abstract away operational complexity that helps:

• Optimize: Using the power of HPE’s CloudPhysics, we help customers consolidate their virtualized estate, choose the right virtualization technology for each workload, and re-platform to our architecturally advantaged HPE Private Cloud and HPE Alletra Storage MP solutions. This enables TCO savings of up to 5x.
• Modernize: With HPE GreenLake cloud, customers gain access to the broadest choice of runtime options, from HPE or market alternatives. It empowers customers to support traditional, cloud-native and AI workloads across any cloud or deployment destination.
• Simplify: HPE’s recent acquisition of Morpheus Data, in combination with our Zerto and OpsRamp assets, provides a unified hybrid cloud operations experience and reduces the complexity of managing workloads across multiple SW runtimes and clouds. This is all accessible through our HPE GreenLake cloud, giving our customers a central control tower for their end-to-end hybrid cloud operations.

At HPE, we are dedicated to helping enterprises navigate the complexities of today’s evolving IT landscape. By optimizing costs, modernizing infrastructure, and simplifying operations, we empower IT departments and lines of business to focus on innovation and growth.  Our latest advancements, including HPE VM Essentials Software, are designed to provide a seamless and cost-effective path toward a more agile and future-ready IT estate.

Limited time introductory offer for HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Business Edition customers

Customers who purchase HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Business Edition with HPE Alletra Storage MP or HPE SimpliVity before April 30, 2025,  will be eligible for a complimentary three-year HPE VM Essentials subscription for each HPE Private Cloud Business Edition node purchased (up to four nodes) and a 20% discount on HPE migration services to transition to HPE VM Essentials (up to $10,000 for HPE Alletra MP and up to $5,000 for HPE SimpliVity).

Learn more

Hewlett Packard Enterprise advances hybrid cloud leadership with unified virtualization management, fast object storage and disconnected private clouds
HPE VM Essentials interactive demo
HPE virtualization solutions
Morpheus Data
CloudPhysics

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Meet HPE Blogger Hang Tan, SVP and COO, Hybrid Cloud, HPE

Hang is responsible for the organization’s multi-year strategy, and overseeing operations and investment allocation to drive innovation and achieve financial goals. In addition, Hang leads the partnership strategy and partner marketplace programs to deliver third-party solutions for HPE GreenLake cloud. He oversees Hybrid Cloud Services Strategy, Managed Services, and Professional Services to enhance the end-to-end customer experience. Hang is also responsible for driving sales productivity through sales enablement and targeted engagements across HPE’s customer, channel, and distribution ecosystem.

HPE Experts
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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