HPE updates ProLiant servers bundled with GreenLake license

HPE rolled out the fourth generation of ProLiant servers bundled with a license for the company's GreenLake for Compute Ops Management software to make it easier for users to implement and manage servers in hybrid cloud environments.

The ProLiant Gen11 servers and software are directed toward enterprises implementing more modern workloads typically involved in enterprise digital transformation projects, such as AI, web-based analytics and cloud-native applications.

The Compute Ops Management product is a cloud-native management console controlling the processes involved in accessing, monitoring and managing servers, whether the compute environment is located on-premises, in the cloud or at the edge.

The offering makes it easier for IT admins to onboard thousands of distributed devices, and includes the ability to deliver server firmware updates faster. This allows admins to focus more on business operations and reduce time spent managing IT infrastructure, according to the vendor.

Krista Satterthwaite

"We are talking more holistically about our strategy," said Krista Satterthwaite, senior vice president of HPE's Mainstream Compute division. "Now we have three areas of focus, including the intuitive cloud operating experience, trusted by design and optimizing for specific workloads."

One analyst said the latest releases represent yet another step toward meeting HPE's goal to focus mainly on software and services by year's end.

"These systems are a continued expansion of meeting users' workload, security and consumption requirements," said Dan Newman, principal analyst of Futurum Research and CEO of Broadsuite Media Group. "It fits into the company's long-term strategy of delivering everything as a service."

These systems are a continued expansion of meeting users' workload, security and consumption requirement. It fits into the company's long-term strategy of delivering everything as a service.

Making the license for GreenLake readily available also supports HPE's goal of becoming a software and services-focused company, Newman noted.

"Moving to a recurring revenues model aligns with their hybrid cloud narrative," Newman said. "This is all about building mousetraps to catch more workloads for GreenLake."

Building on the capabilities of its Silicon Root of Trust software, the company has added new security features including a new version of its Integrated Lights-Out, remote management software that allows users to configure and update HPE servers more easily. The update offers improved authentication using the Security Protocol and Data Model.

The company also added capabilities that prevent alterations to unique server identity access by including platform certifications along with secure device identity by default. Also, HPE has added an additional layer of authentication that monitors a secure boot and system state through the Trusted Platform Module.

In addition, HPE boosted performance of its ProLiant server line with the latest generation of AMD processors along with Intel's Xeon Scalable chips and Ampere Altra and Altra Max processors. The new system supports twice the I/O bandwidth as its predecessor and contain 50% more cores per CPU and GPUs that run AI and graphic-intensive loads 33%faster, according to HPE.

"We will have multiple servers available, with each featuring a processor that makes sense for the workload it is best suited for," Satterthwaite said.

Backing up the new hardware and software offerings, HPE also expanded its Pointnext services for the Gen11 servers, including assigned technical experts that can deliver support to locations where connectivity is and electronic and verbal communications are subject to specific security measures.

The company is also offering experts on demand who are up to speed on HPE's next-generation hardware and software technologies. HPE extended support for next-generation products to seven years, from the previous length of three to five years.

Lastly, the company made available its new pay-as-you-go consumption plan for the systems with the option to purchase them through its existing infrastructure purchase plan.

Gen11 servers using the AMD and Intel processors will be available Nov. 10. Versions using the Ampere chips are available now.

As Editor At Large with TechTarget Editorial's News Group, Ed Scannell is responsible for writing and reporting breaking news, news analysis and features focused on technology issues and trends affecting corporate IT professionals.