From the beginning

If you already know what HP StoreEasy Storage is, skip down to the sub-heading "So what's new?".  We announced HP StoreEasy Storage in November of last year,  Prior to that you may have known it as the X1000 and X3000.  Start with our HP ProLiant DNA, layer on Windows Storage Server 2012, and a few HP additions and you start to get the idea.  One of the first ChalkTalks I did was about StoreEasy - so if you want to get a bit more on what it is, check that out. 

So what's new

I'll just quickly summarize what's new and let you watch the ChalkTalk I have. 

• Wizard-driven storage provisioning tool
• Single interface for launching management tasks and utilities
• Built-in snapshot management for files
• Choice of Server Core headless mode (shrinks active OS code, reducing virus vulnerability and OS patching)
• Optional onboard HP Data Protector for hybrid cloud backup/recovery
• Wizard-based easy gateway clustering for file services with SANs

I've got news to share with you today and I've put it into a couple of ChalkTalks.  At a high level, the news today is:

• We're introducing the MSA2040, the fourth generation of the MSA that is up to 4X faster than the MSA2000 G3 and competitive entry arrays.  It's the first entry SAN with 16Gb FC and has very cool data in-place upgrade capabilities.
  
• There are enhancements to our HP StoreEasy Storage - this is file and application storage based on Windows Storage Server 2012.  Then enhancements include a new provisioning wizard that makes HP StoreEasy Storage even easier!
  
• HP Simply StoreIT is a channel-exclusive program focused on helping SMBs with solutions for virutalization, file sharing, Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server, and backup and data protection.

Here's the overview ChalkTalk but be sure to check the blog post as there's more details there.

Lastly, I want to invite you to join me and Sr VP and GM of HP Storage David Scott.  Today at 10:30 AM PDT (that's 1:30 PM EDT), I'll host a live webcast with David and we'll talk about this announcement today.  I'm again partnering with my friends at Watchitoo.com; you can download a calendar reminder or if you miss the live broadcast, watch the replay at www.hp.com/go/SimplyStoreIT. 

Kate Davis (@KateAtHP) has done a great job of getting the conversation going around Software Defined Storage and I thought it would be helpful to do a ChalkTalk giving an overview on our perspective.  Here's a single link to all of the blog posts on ATSB focused on SDS.

One of the things I'm most excited about here at HP Storage is there's a strong focus on having a strategy and vision that we're driving toward - and as I've said here, I think it's right on the mark!.  That vision is Converged Storage.  In the ChalkTalk, you'll see how software-defined storage and Converged Storage.... dare I say it, converge.

By Rohan Viegas, Worldwide Product Management, HP Storage

Gen 5 Fibre Channel is more than just 16Gbps speeds. It unleashes the full potential of high-density server virtualization, cloud architectures and next-generation storage. It offers a purpose-built, data center-proven network infrastructure for storage. And it delivers unmatched performance, reliability and simplicity. Today, Rohan Viegas talks about how the server and storage evolution is driving the need for Gen 5 Fibre Channel and how the HP StoreFabric SN6500B 16Gb Fibre Channel Switch helps meet that need.

So I decided I'd start a series of HP ChalkTalks diving in deeper. Today, I have the first HP 3PAR StoreServ Architecture ChalkTalk.  It's a high level overview of the architecture and a deeper dive talking about the Mesh Active Cluster.  I remember the first time I heard about this a few years ago when my former colleague Marc Farley gave me a personal training at VMworld on what he thought made 3PAR special.  It was a rapid fire conversation that at the time I probably only really got 25% of it - ok, 10 %.  I hope this ChalkTalk brings it down to earth for you. 

I'm not at our HP Global Partner Conference (GPC) that is just kicking off in Las Vegas but I'm plugged in to the news being announced there today.  We have a couple of things we're announcing at GPC and I'll give you an overview of the news in the post and go deeper over the next few blog posts.  I have 3 videos today:

First an overview with an HP Storage Countdown

Next, a ChalkTalk with the details on what's new with the HP StoreVirtual portfolio.

And finally, I have a ChalkTalk on the new HP StoreSystem Storage.

Check them out!

There's also a great announcement website where you can find a lot more content on HP StoreEver Tape Storage - you can find it at www.hp.com/go/storage/nextera.

• HP StoreEasy NAS
• HP StoreVirtual Storage (formerly HP LeftHand)
• HP 3PAR StoreServ
• HP StoreAll Storage
• We also had some enhancements to HP StoreOnce Backup

Well, time to reveal another set of products with new naming.  Today we're announcing HP StoreEver Tape Storage.  I have a couple of videos that give a good overview - one a short interview from HP Discover showing the new HP StoreEver LTO-6 Tape Drive and the other a ChalkTalk that gives a bit more details.

And be sure you get my live HP TechCast with ESG Sr. Analyst Jason Buffington on your calendar!

Prior to HP Discover, my server brethren announced the HP ProLiant SL4500 - a new server based product that was positioned for "big data".  I was working to get a podcast with a couple of guys on the team when we realized that we'd all be at HP Discover together so I offered to do a video with them in their booth.  That turned out to be a great choice because seeing is believing - or I should say is understanding. 

I also have a ChalkTalk giving a high-level architectural overview of HP StoreAll that should help you understand the data services it offers and how it's different from the SL4500. 

Checkout the blog post for more!