HP enhances FlexNetwork for cloud, virtualisation

BANGALORE, INDIA: Technology major HP today announced new networking products and services for its FlexNetwork architecture, launched in May 2011.

From a data centre and cloud perspective, HP introduced a new top-of-the-rack, 10 GbE switch, HP 5900, and an updated switch series, 12500 data centre core switch, in its FlexFabric portfolio.

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The new HP 12500 data centre core switch gives 1.3 TB performance, it is 40GbE and 100GbE ready, and features HP's Intelligent Resilient Framework that allows four HP 5900 switches to be virtualised and operate as a single switch.

Moreover, it can also manage the entire core infrastructure from one single pane of glass and provide full IPv6 support. HP claims that the new 5900 ToR switch, which features TRILL and VEPA, can provide 300 per cent higher scalability.

Subhodeep Bhattacharya, director, HP Networking, HP India, said: "The top three focus areas in the market today are cloud, virtualisation and networking. Enterprises need a simpler networking infrastructure that’s scalable and flexible to keep pace with the dynamic needs of business applications. Legacy network infrastructures typically lack the flexibility required to support virtualised infrastructure, the bandwidth for intensive multimedia applications and the scalability required for the growing number of connected mobile devices."

From an enterprise LAN perspective, HP enhanced its FlexCampus portfolio with a range of 10,500 line of switches - A10504, A10508V and A10508 - new stackable switches, HP 3800 that features PoE+ and a new reference architecture for campus environments.

Amol Mitra, director, product marketing and business planning, HP Networking, Asia Pacific & Japan, said: "The new 3800 switch, with support for Energy Efficient Ethernet, reduces power usage by 14 per cent versus competing products. Moreover, the new reference architecture unifies wired and wireless networks to support mobility and high-bandwidth multimedia applications."

HP also introduced an enhanced HP FlexBranch portfolio with new virtualised service modules that integrates technology from VMware and Citrix.

It also enhanced its FlexManagement with integrated mobile network access control (NAC) in its Intelligent Management Center 5.1, which streamlines enterprise access to mobile devices. Currently, it supports 5,786 devices from over 150 manufacturers.

HP also unveiled virtualized service modules for 5400zl and 8200zl switches, thus enabling it to converge blade servers at the branch into a network infrastructure capable of hosting multiple applications and services.

The HP Advanced Services zl Module supports VMware vSphere 5 Citrix XenServer platforms.