HPE has announced a Timeless Program for GreenLake Alletra MP block storage users with non-disruptive controller upgrades.
This is similar to the Pure Storage EverGreen program for its FlashArray and FlashBlade all-flash array customers. This offered a subscription entitling customers to non-disruptive controller hardware and software upgrades during the program’s term. It was launched in 2015, ten years ago.
HPE claims it’s HPE is “transforming the storage ownership experience” with new investment protection and a seamless infrastructure lifecycle path.
Alletra Storage MP is a multi-controller, multi-protocol system – block and file – alongside HPE’s Alletra 6000 (Nimble-based) and 9000 (Primera-based) block storage arrays.
HPE states that GreenLake customers that choose block storage on HPE Alletra MP and participate in the program will qualify for an upgrade to a next-generation controller, delivered non-disruptively, when they renew their subscription. This enables customers to avoid directly paying for and managing HW and SW upgrades, particularly controller upgrades, themselves.
They can achieve, it says, “an average savings of 30 percent of TCO for storage” by avoiding one forklift upgrade. The new program includes HPE’s 100 percent Data Availability Guarantee and HPE StoreMore data efficiency guarantees.
This program is not available to other Alletra block storage users, Alletra MP OEM’d VAST Data file users, or to users of other HPE storage products such as SimpliVity HCI. An array’s controller hardware and operating systems needs to have multiple controllers and OS-enabled failover and recovery for a non-disruptive upgrade to take place. This is because a controller, when it is being upgraded, is powered off, removed and replaced. The OS has to recognize that this is happening and have the other controllers take on the now-dead controller’s workload.
Last month IBM announced its Storage Assure scheme to upgrade NVMe-SSD based FlashSystem array hardware and software during the life of a system. The Storage Assurance hardware and software upgrades are covered by SLAs and a flat pricing contract with four and eight-year terms.
HPE says that its TimeLess Programe is a “future-proofed investment that never gets old”; evergreen you might say – if you worked for Pure Storage. With IBM and now HPE following Pure it’s clear that imitation is the sincerest … How does that old saying go?
HPE’s Timeless Program will be available in Q3 2024.
