HP: Flash is better in than out. Better for us, er, our customers

HP is going to implement its all-flash arrays inside the StoreServ (3PAR) architecture and operating environment. This sets it at odds with every other all-flash array supplier and other believers of external flash silos. Of course there's also the added benefit that this tactic may prevent HP's StoreServ customers from buying …

[Anonymous Coward]

Is this new? Doesn't everyone use a "polymorphic" architecture with Flash interwoven with HDD?

[_Absinthe_]

"We do not know what Dell is doing in this area"

Sure we do.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/06/18/dell_hermes/

The difference is that rather than develop a whole new platform from the ground up to replace a burgeoning legacy architecture, they appear to have simply bought a very disruptive technology (RNA Networks) and are in the process of integrating the tech into another two very disruptive platforms (Equallogic & Compellent) in order to virtualise flash (instead of RAM) into a coherent tier of storage 'outside' of the traditional disk arrays. Basically, what this article is talking about with regards to building 'interfaces' between AFA's and traditional disk arrays, but without needing to begin with two whole platforms and then work backwards to integrate them.

Of course, what will be interesting will be whether they can actually pull it off.

[Anonymous Coward]

And then there are other options

http://content.dell.com/us/en/enterprise/financial-services-markets-solutions-flash-memory-array.aspx

[eswan]

386SPAR.PAR

Am I the only one unable to read the name 3PAR and think, 'Seems overkill for a windows 3.1 swapfile'?

[Anonymous Coward]

All Flash. No Cache

For the majority of customers a hybrid approach will be more mainsteam. There was a great article by Dave Floyer just published on Wikibon showing this. : http://wikibon.org/wiki/v/Hybrid_Storage_Poised_to_Disrupt_Traditional_Disk_Arrays

If you want to eliminate SILOs a unified hybrid approach will encompass more workloads.

There is definately a place for all-flash arrays but hybrid will capture the mainstream.

[Bruce Hockin]

Re: All Flash. No Cache

"There is definately a place for all-flash arrays but hybrid will capture the mainstream"

That will depend on the economics of AFA's. When SSD's achieve cost parity with HDD's, there are limited reasons to need a hybrid solution. I see hybrid currently as a transitional play for the next 3/4 years, those hybrid vendors that can gain a significant enough footprint before the SSD vs HDD commercial tippingpoint is reached will be in a strong position to capitalise on the opportunity.

[Tom 13]

This drive technology needs a new name,

when I read the headline, I was wondering what angle HP was going to try to work by teaming with Adobe.

[Bruce Hockin]

Re: This drive technology needs a new name,

Given the fact you are reading an article in the storage section of a website by a well renowned storage journo, I hope your comment about Adobe was a joke :-)