HP has launched a range of new storage and server systems at its Discover event in Barcelona, aimed at making it easier and faster to deploy large-scale server systems and to backup and restore them. There’s a definite need to be served there, but you’ll pay handsomely for the privilege.
The new range includes three ConvergedSystem models designed for specific tasks: virtualisation, hosted desktops and big data analytics. Those systems attract a big price tag: from $159,000. The virtualisation and hosted desktop systems are on sale immediately, but the analytics box won’t be available until next year.
HP has also updated its storage range, including a new version of its StoreOnce storage and backup solution for near-instant backup and data recovery. The StoreOnce 6500 is priced at an even more eye-watering $399,847 (ex-GST).
Given the perceived business value of much data, that price might not be a problem in some contexts. “There’s so much unstructured data and so much inefficiency in the way we handle it,” Steve Kelly, country general manager for the storage and enterprise group at HP South Pacific, told Lifehacker. “The problem just gets bigger and bigger, and the backup window increases and increases.”
Another part of that pricing equation is the use of more expensive flash memory and storage in the solutions. “Flash is a very disruptive force in the storage market. On a dollar per gigabyte basis, it’s very expensive, but the new flash drives we’re bringing to market bring us a better mix of price and performance.”
Kelly also noted that cost per gigabyte isn’t the only relevant measure: “The main metric is around dollar per IO. That gives a good result.”
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