Hi Folks. In this blog post I am highlighting the new HP StoreEasy product line! In December 2012, at the HP Discover conference in Frankfurt, Germany, HP launched the new HP StoreEasy Storage family running Windows Storage Server 2012. The company calls these “a single, consolidated platform that delivers efficient, secure, and highly available application and file storage.” The StoreEasy line is a new addition to the HP Converged Storage portfolio and, with seven new models to choose from, there’s something for companies of all shapes and sizes—from small businesses and branch offices to large enterprises.
Here’s how HP positions the three model lines within the StoreEasy portfolio, all of which are based on HP ProLiant hardware:
- HP StoreEasy 1000 Storage—entry-level file and application storage that is ideal for small to medium businesses, branch offices, and workgroups for supporting large numbers of users and accommodating their demands to store growing volumes of files, as well as application workloads. It is based on the latest Generation 8 ProLiant Servers.
- HP StoreEasy 3000 Storage—a file gateway designed to provide efficient file services for SAN arrays. It fully supports HP 3PAR Storage and HP StoreVirtual Storage, enabling clients to dynamically shift file and block capacities. It is based on the latest Generation 8 ProLiant Servers.
- HP StoreEasy 5000 Storage—offers turnkey, active-active high availability for midsized environments, is optimized for file and application workloads including virtualized environments. It is based on Generation 7 ProLiant Blade Servers.
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Altogether, the HP StoreEasy portfolio includes more than 40 different configurations, with maximum internal raw capacities of up to 42 terabytes for the StoreEasy 1000 and up to 192 terabytes for the StoreEasy 5000, a highly-available “cluster-in-a-box.”
Efficient
According to HP, a single StoreEasy Storage system can scale to support heterogeneous file sharing and consolidated user data/home directories (via folder redirection) for 25,000 users, as simulated by the Microsoft File Server Capacity Tool. HP is a big fan of the new SMB 3.0 protocol, which it calls a “game-changer” that is “not only really fast, but so reliable that it can be used to host Hyper-V VMs and SQL Server databases.”
HP also is praising the efficiencies provided by StoreEasy Storage, which include:
- A new Windows Server Manager, where system administrators can manage all aspects of storage on one or more StoreEasy Storage systems via a single pane-of-management.
- With a StoreEasy 3000 gateway connected to an HP 3PAR array, system administrators can provision file shares and volumes for both file and block workloads on the 3PAR array directly from within Windows Server Manager (or via Windows PowerShell).
- A StoreEasy 3000 gateway can automatically identify and reclaim thinly provisioned storage on a 3PAR array. Combined with Windows Storage Server de-duplication, the solution delivers best in class storage efficiency.
- A StoreEasy 3000 gateway can take advantage of offloaded data transfer (ODX) on 3PAR arrays to reduce CPU usage on the StoreEasy while speeding file copy times by a factor of 7 verses the times it takes to do a normal copy.
- Data can be classified and managed based on its business value by using the File Classification Infrastructure.
Secure
HP StoreEasy Storage delivers strong security through features that include:
- SMB 3.0 Encryption, which can be enabled with a single checkbox to help protect data in-transit.
- BitLocker Drive Encryption and Encrypted File System (EFS) can be used to help protect data at rest.
- Native installation for Third-party end-point protection software, which refers to the ability to run any Windows Server 2012 Certified end-point protection solution on a StoreEasy Storage system.
- Robust agent based data protection for efficient backup and recovery of data stored on StoreEasy Storage.
Highly Available
HP StoreEasy Storage is also highly available, with capabilities that include:
- Transparent failover, which enables continuous availability by enabling clients and file servers to failover and automatically reconnect to an alternate cluster node without any service interruptions. (This is supported for the SMB 3.0 and NFSv3 protocols.)
- Online patching via Cluster-Aware Updating, a new feature in Windows Storage Server 2012 that automates the software updating process on clustered servers while maintaining service availability.
- CHKDSK improvements, which cut file system repair times from hours to seconds. (This enables system administrators to safely deploy multi-terabyte volumes and, when used together with Cluster Shared Volumes, enables corrupted data to be repaired online, without any service interruption.)
There’s lots more to HP’s new StoreEasy offerings than the above. If you’re interested in HP StoreEasy Storage, you can find more details at www.hp.com/go/storeeasy.
Additionally here are a few whitepapers papers you may want to check out:
Technical White Papers:
- Lab Validation Report on the HP StoreEasy 5000 by Enterprise Strategy Group
- HP StoreEasy Storage: Remote Office – Branch Office (ROBO) Solutions
- HP StoreEasy 5000 Storage: Deploying Hyper-V over SMB and iSCSI
- HP StoreEasy 1000, 3000, 5000 Storage: Enabling backup and recovery
- HP StoreEasy Storage: Advanced Data Lifecycle Management
Also, don’t forget about all the additional value that HP brings to the table. StoreEasy Gateway Storage used together with StoreServ 3PAR arrays enable file and block services to be delivered from the same efficient storage infrastructure for the most flexibility and the best of both worlds. HP has a strategic relationship with Microsoft, and we’re working together to deliver this file serving solution. With StoreEasy as a gateway to 3PAR, customers get end-to-end support from HP—not just for 3PAR StoreServ and HP StoreEasy hardware, but also for the operating system.
HP also offers a number of value-added services:
- HP StoreEasy Storage Installation and Startup Service – HP installs, tests, and configures your hardware and software onsite.
- HP Data Migration Services – HP expertise and tools help you migrate data across your data center or around the globe. Take the burden of migration off your shoulders and put it in the capable hands of expert HP storage migration consultants.
- HP Insight Remote Support – Count on proven technology to deliver secure, reliable 24x7 remote monitoring, diagnosis, and problem resolution, all available at no extra charge if you have an existing warranty, service agreement, or HP Care Pack Service with HP. Avoid problems before they occur by having your storage systems remotely monitored for hardware failure using technology that's been proven at thousands of companies around the world.
With HP Care Pack Service plans, you can choose from an extensive menu of HP Proactive Select event and technical services, such as onsite firmware upgrades, health checks, assessments, and education. Three levels are offered:
- Basic Care: HP Support Plus 24 with 10 HP Proactive Select service credits per year
- Standard Care: HP Proactive Care 24x7 with 10 HP Proactive Select service credits per year
- Optimized Care: HP Proactive Care 24x7 with 40 HP Proactive Select service credits per year
That’s all for now, more to come soon!
Cheers,
Scott