HP CloudStart will build private cloud within 30 days

HP has launched HP CloudStart to deploy an open and flexible private cloud environment and to speed up construction of private clouds.  HP claims that HP CloudStart would allow an enterprise to build a private cloud within 30 days. The CloudStart is been built on an HP Converged Infrastructure consisting of hardware, software and services that allows businesses to deliver pay-per-use services from a common portal. It also offers to deploy new services automatically.

HP claims that the CloudStart service can successfully reduce compliance-management time by 75 percent.

CloudSmart is delivered by HP Cloud Consulting Services and will use the HP’s Cloud Service Automation tools to help enterprises with their cloud installations and to manage cloud-based applications. CloudStart will also use its storage and blade servers. It will feature HP BladeSystem Matrix, HP Cloud Service Automation software and data services provided by HP StorageWorks.
Moreover, the company claims that CloudSmart helps the user to reduce provisioning times up to 80 percent with one-touch provisioning across infrastructure, applications and business services.

Interestingly, the clients can operate their private clouds as a public cloud through real-time access to consumption and chargeback reports. CloudStart also allows users to integrate their private clouds with the third-party portals, public cloud services, usage billing packages and multi-platform research management.

To implement private cloud environment onto its HP Converged Infrastructure, the company has partnered with Intel, Samsung, VMware and an US-based global research university, Carnegie Mellon.

To begin research on cloud computing, HP shall use Carnegie Mellon’s private cloud. Using HP CloudStart, the university will replace multiple dedicated clusters with a single cloud environment. This will be done to perform simulations and data analyses and also to support data storage and data-intensive applications.

Last week, HP acquired Stratavia, a vendor of management tools, to help IT departments handle hybrid clouds in an effective manner. Hybrid cloud means using mixture of both internal as well as external service provider to create a cloud.

According to HP, if you want to transit from a traditional data center to the cloud, the best method is to first optimize applications for a private cloud, and then move to a hybrid environment in the future.
HP also launched Cloud Maps to use it with services from VMware, SAP, Oracle and Microsoft. HP imports Cloud Maps directly into client cloud environments and further enable them to build a catalogue of cloud services for the business.

“With CloudStart, HP is enabling clients to optimize applications for private cloud computing today, while providing a platform for a comprehensive, open and hybrid environment in the future,” said Gary M. Budzinski, senior vice president and general manager, Technology Services, HP.

In doing so, HP is definitely trying to occupy a leadership position in the market by claiming to build private clouds in just 30 days. This sounds fantastic.

Globally, the CloudStart package is expected to reach the markets in the month of December, but in Asia-Pacific and Japan, it’s already available. However, no information on the pricing is available.