Data Backup Digest

As some enterprises are still reluctant to embrace cloud computing, industry leaders are clamoring to introduce new, streamlined solutions that are meant to ease concerns associated with the cloud in its current state. One such platform, HP Helion, attempts to address the primary worries of security and accessibility while still offering services that are affordable and reliable. The result is HP Helion.

Originally launched in May of 2014, HP has already pledged $1 billion in funding to the platform by the end of 2016. As such, HP hopes to win over those who are still reluctant to commit to cloud computing and turn them into true believers as well as dedicated customers.

In order to provide a comprehensive and versatile suite of cloud-based technology, HP Helion actually integrates many of HP’s other cloud-oriented services. This includes HP Helion OpenStack, the HP Helion Development Platform, HP Helion Public Cloud, HP Helion CloudSystem and HP Helion Eucalyptus.

Jim Fanella, vice president with the workload and cloud division at HP Enterprise, explained the goal of HP Helion and its related services. He was quoted as saying: “As we continue to grow our HP Helion managed portfolio of services we believe that continuity should be a core feature for every business who utilizes the cloud, and that clients should demand that their cloud partner prepares them for the worst case scenario.”

According to HP, their new disaster-recovery-as-a-service plan, referred to as HP Helion Continuity Service, is capable of saving companies as much as 50% in IT costs while simultaneously boosting data recovery times by as much as 90%. Moreover, HP Helion Continuity Service supports both physical and virtual Windows servers, Oracle Real Application Clusters, SAN-based data caches and Red Hat Enterprise Linux clusters.

Bill Hilf, senior vice president with HP Helion’s product and service management division, underlined the need for flexibility and versatility within today’s cloud platforms. He was quoted as saying: “Enterprise customers have a range of needs in moving to the cloud - some need to cloud-enable traditional workloads, while others seek to build next generation 'cloud native' apps using modern technologies like OpenStack, Cloud Foundry, and Docker. The expanded support for multiple hypervisors and cloud environments in HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 gives enterprises and service providers added flexibility to gain cloud benefits for their existing and new applications."

Since security remains a major concern, HP has joined forces with the Cloud Security Alliance as a means of ensuring compliance with all established rules and regulations. Highly reputable and touted throughout the world of cloud computing, the CSA is supported by companies such as Microsoft, Google, Intel, McAfee, Verizon and more.

While the services made available through HP Helion were previously offered to a very limited market, their services are now available within multiple locations in the United States as well as data centers in Canada, Italy and Australia. To find out more information about HP Helion, including details on its availability or any of its complementary services, please visit their official website at www.hp.com.