How could a company as mighty and diverse as HP have had so many issues with executive management?

HP stumbled mightily in 2011, and it had nothing to do with product or people. Even sales remained strong, though the PC business is changing. HP’s mighty stumble was a crisis of confidence due to a chain of shenanigans at the very top. This culminated with the short reign of Léo Apotheker, leaving HP to reassure the market of its strategy.

HP And the Enterprise IT Industry

Sometimes, it’s hard to get a sense of scale when talking about very large things. How big is the solar system? How far away is the nearest star? The same is true of earthly things, exemplified by popular misconceptions about the global financial crisis. It’s difficult for people to understand just how much money a trillion dollars is.

In my little world of enterprise storage, it’s difficult to reconcile “big storage” players like EMC and NetApp with “big storage and everything else” players like HP, Dell, Oracle and IBM. Sure, EMC and NetApp lead the pack in terms of market share, but they’re nowhere near as large as the integrated players. HP has more than 7 times the revenue of EMC, which makes 3 times more than NetApp.

This old slide might need updating, but you get the picture...

HP is an incredibly diverse company, dominant in the PC, printing, and blade server market and top 5 just about everywhere else, including networking, services, and enterprise storage. And HP has nearly 325,000 employees, all working to move the company forward in one direction or another.

NetApp is a motorcycle, with one drive wheel pushing it forward at high speed; HP is more like NASA’s shuttle crawler-transporter, a 16 motor mammoth. Single-purpose companies can be agile, but they can also be derailed by market downturn or technological shift. Storage specialists like NetApp continually try to innovate and acquire to keep themselves vital, while larger companies like Cisco and EMC try to diversify while maintaining market leadership. HP doesn’t need to try; it is diverse.

HP Is a Very Large Thing

I watched HP's rise in the server market of the 1990's

HP has long been synonymous with innovation, high-technology, and silicon Valley. I have been an HP customer as long as I have been in IT, and watched as they integrated technology from Apollo and Convex in the 1990’ s. The server products that resulted became the dominant UNIX platform, but HP’ s innovative storage concepts didn’ t take the market by storm.

After HP merged with Compaq (which brought Tandem and Digital Equipment Corporation), the company vaulted ahead in the Wintel market and also gained valuable storage expertise. Throughout the last decade, HP was firing on all cylinders and dominant in nearly every arena. The company owns half the blade server market, is tied for first in servers, leads in PCs and printers, and is a contender in networking and storage. It’s simply impossible to say what HP is in a single sentence.

HP storage has an extremely broad product range, which management is working to reconcile. Acquisitions of LeftHand, Ibrix, and 3PAR gave HP storage shot in the arm to be sure. An injection of startup mojo has energized the marketing and product groups within HP just when the company needed it. HP’ s market share has grown somewhat as a result, though not as much as the hyper-focused NetApp. HP networking similarly took on 3Com, bedeviling Cisco in the Ethernet switch market.

The Executive Soap Opera

It takes a lot to bring a mammoth to its knees, but a shot between the eyes usually does the trick. While the many engines of HP push it forward, the company’s upper management has seemed, at times, suicidal. Business schools could design an entire curriculum around the folly of Patricia “I spy” Dunn and Mark “penny-pinching” Hurd. Who would think that HP management could top this?

From August 2010 through September 2011, HP dominated IT headlines in completely the wrong way. The board wanted a change, and selected Léo Apotheker to transform HP. But it was a soap opera from the very start, with Oracle hiring Mark Hurd and sending Apotheker into hiding among accusations of corporate espionage while at SAP.

The new CEO didn’t seem to understand HP at all, though he was intent on steering it in a new direction. Apotheker set about dismantling HP’s consumer and end-user businesses, killing Palm/WebOS and threatening to sell off the PC business. The company was to focus instead on enterprise computing, but these drastic moves spooked the entire industry.

It wasn’t long before HP’s board struck again, with a shake up at the hands of Ray Lane and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman brought in to replace Apotheker. The first order of business for the new HP executive team appears to be reassuring the entire world that management has not gone completely insane.

Stephen’s Stance

To an outsider like me, the most disappointing thing about HP’s mighty stumble is that it has nothing to do with the people who really make the company what it is. I have met many creative, hard-working individuals in HP’s storage, server, networking, and printer groups, and they could not be more different from the executive soap opera. I only hope that this new board and CEO will bring some stability and let HP cruise forward once again.

Disclaimer: HP has sponsored the Tech Field Day events which I organize, and has on occasion invited me to attend events at their expense.  But I do similar work with nearly every company in the IT industry, and this piece is my own opinion.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2012. | HP’s Mighty Stumble
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Gestalt IT. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Note: This information was based on the “VMware Storage/SAN Compatibility Guide” and is being regularly updated. Please add comments here and I will add products and change and update listings as soon as they appear in the guide!

Where, Why, and What is VAAI?

I’ve previously discussed the fact that VMware’s excellent ESX hardware compatibility list (HCL) is so comprehensive than obscures basic facts about supported products. This is especially true for VAAI, since compatibility is only noted as a footnote in individual storage array listings. It does not help matters that not all VAAI plugins support all three capabilities.

Like my previous posts regarding FCoE CNA’s, SATA and PATA chipsets, and home/lab network cards, I’ll attempt to boil down the VMware ESX HCL into plain English. This data will also be part of my Storage for Virtual Servers seminar presentation, the first of which will be given on March 10 in Philadelphia.

I’m not going to spend too much time on “what is VAAI” in this post. Instead, I suggest you read the following blog posts and VMware’s excellent guide, “What’s New in VMware vSphereTM 4.1 — Storage“?

• What is VAAI, and how does it add spice to my life as a VMware admin?
• vStorage APIs for Array Integration aka VAAI
• If You Ever Needed Convincing About VAAI…
• VMware VAAI pros and cons and the hidden fourth primitive

The Three VAAI Primitives

You ought to read the updated Complete List of VMware VAAI Primitives since it’s much more thorough and informative!

In ESX 4.1, that vStorage API for Array Integration includes three basic capabilities or primitives:

1. Blocks zeroing is a communication method for thin provisioning capable storage arrays, allowing them to quickly zero out storage capacity for later reclamation.
2. Full copy commands the storage array to make a mirror or snapshot of data without any I/O on the server hardware.
3. Hardware assisted locking enables more granular control of shared storage resources in ESX clusters

In order to support VAAI, a storage array requires two things:

1. Hardware capable of supporting one or more of the three primitives listed above
2. A software plug in for ESX enabling communication and integration

VAAI Plug In Support

Creating a VAAI plug in is not a trivial task, and not all storage arrays are yet supported. I have heard grumbling from storage vendors that EMC (the storage vendor that owns VMware) has been given early access to VAAI information, allowing them to support this feature set before their competitors. However, this has not stopped a diverse set of other unrelated storage vendors from quickly producing and releasing effective and complete VAAI plugins.

As of this writing, there are 11 array-specific plugins and one general-purpose plug in available for ESX 4.1. EMC, NetApp, 3PAR (HP), HDS, FalconStor, Fujitsu, IBM, Dell (EqualLogic), and HP (LeftHand, P9000, P2000) have produced VAAI plugins supporting all three primitives. Additionally, a cloud in supporting the T10 blocks zeroing methods is available, enabling other arrays to support this one primitive. Note that the T10 primitive should support nearly any capable array, but not all have been tested and qualified for use with it.

VAAI Support Matrix

Note that similar OEM versions (for example, Fujitsu’s FibreCAT CLARiiONs, and the Gateway/Lenovo/Acer AMS line) are also supported the same as the manufacturer’s offerings. I’ve simplified and eliminated similar models (the Dell EqualLogic PS6000E, PS6000S, PS6000X, PS6000XV, and PS6000XVS are all listed simply as PS6000).

Updates:

• IBM recently added full VAAI for the XIV, SVC, and similar Storwize V7000. I’m sure they’re also working on complete VAAI plugins for the big DS8000 systems!
• EMC certified the new VNX line for VAAI (FC only for now) and the V-Max just gained iSCSI VAAI support.
• FalconStor added VAAI for NSS, enabling any storage array to be used.
• HP created VAAI plugins for the P9500 and MSA P2000 lines as well.

Stephen’s Stance

VAAI is an exciting new capability for VMware ESX, and demonstrates the enterprise readiness of vSphere 4.1. Although not all storage arrays are yet supported, the diverse assortment listed above should cover the majority of enterprise storage environments. I fully expect that the obvious holes will be filled in soon, and I look forward to updating this list when I hear news of those product releases. I also look forward to learning of additional capabilities added as VAAI primitives in the future!

The Exhaustive List

I am attempting to keep this list up to date. My authoritative source of information is the VMware Storage Compatibility Guide. This is the only source of information I will use, since only official and supported implementations belong in production. But I welcome pointers, suggestions, and referrals for updates!

This list is complete as of February 21, 2011

Full VAAI (All 3 primitives)

• Dell
  • EqualLogic
    • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_eql)
      • Dell EqualLogic PS4000E (Dell EqualLogic PS4000X; Dell EqualLogic PS4000XV)
      • Dell EqualLogic PS5000E (Dell EqualLogic PS5000X; Dell EqualLogic PS5000XV)
      • Dell EqualLogic PS5500E
      • Dell EqualLogic PS6000E (Dell EqualLogic PS6000S; Dell EqualLogic PS6000V; Dell EqualLogic PS6000XV; Dell EqualLogic PS6000XVS)
      • Dell EqualLogic PS6010E (Dell EqualLogic PS6010S; Dell EqualLogic PS6010X; Dell EqualLogic PS6010XV; Dell EqualLogic PS6010XVS)
      • Dell EqualLogic PS6500E (Dell EqualLogic PS6500X)
      • Dell EqualLogic PS6510E (Dell EqualLogic PS6510X)
      • EqualLogic PS100E
      • EqualLogic PS200E
      • EqualLogic PS300E
      • EqualLogic PS3600X
      • EqualLogic PS3700X
      • EqualLogic PS3800XV
        • EqualLogic PS3900XV
      • EqualLogic PS400E
      • EqualLogic PS50E
      • EqualLogic PS70E
• EMC
  • FC (vmw_vaaip_cx)
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-120 (EMC CLARiiON CX4-120 C8/C8X; Dell/EMC CLARiiON CX4-120; Fujitsu FibreCAT CX4-120)
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-240 C8/C8X
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-480 (EMC CLARiiON CX4-480 C8/C8X; Dell/EMC CLARiiON CX4-480)
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-960 (EMC CLARiiON CX4-960 C8/C8X; Dell/EMC CLARiiON CX4-960)
    • EMC Celerra NS-120
    • EMC Celerra NS-480
    • EMC Celerra NS-960
    • EMC VNX5100
    • EMC VNX5300
    • EMC VNX5500
    • EMC VNX5700
    • EMC VNX7500
  • FC/iSCSI/FCoE (VMW_VAAI_SYMM)
    • EMC Symmetrix VMAX
  • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_cx)
    • EMC Celerra CNS
    • EMC Celerra NS-120
    • EMC Celerra NS-480
    • EMC Celerra NS-960
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-120 C8
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-240 C8
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-480 (EMC CLARiiON CX4-480 C8)
    • EMC CLARiiON CX4-960 (EMC CLARiiON CX4-960 C8)
• FalconStor
• FC (unknown)
• CDP Gateway
• CDP SA
• CDP VS
• CDPx Gateway
• IPStor Enterprise
• NSS Gateway
• NSS SA
• NSS VS
• Fujitsu
  • FC (fjt_vaaip_module)
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX410
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX440
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX8100
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX8400
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX8700
  • iSCSI (fjt_vaaip_module)
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX410
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX440
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX8100
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX8400
    • Fujitsu Eternus DX8700
• Hitachi
  • FC (vmw_vaaip_hds)
    • Hitachi AMS 2100 (Acer AMS2100; Gateway AMS2100; HDS AMS 2100; Lenovo-HDS AMS2100)
    • Hitachi AMS 2300 (Acer AMS2300; Gateway AMS2300; HDS AMS 2300; Lenovo-HDS AMS2300)
    • Hitachi AMS 2500 (HDS AMS 2500)
    • Acer AS2040; Gateway GS2040
    • Hitachi AMS 2010
    • Hitachi BR1600/BR1600E/BR1600S
    • Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform (Hitachi VP9500; HP StorageWorks P9500)
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1910
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1930
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1970
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1990
  • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_hds)
    • Hitachi AMS 2010
    • Hitachi AMS 2100 (HDS AMS 2100; Lenovo-HDS AMS2100)
    • Hitachi AMS 2300 (HDS AMS 2300; Lenovo-HDS AMS2300)
    • Hitachi AMS 2500 (HDS AMS 2500)
    • Hitachi BR1600E
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1930
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1970
    • Nihon-Unisys Sanarena 1990
    • Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform
• HP
  • 3PAR
    • FC (3PAR_vaaip_InServ)
      • InServ E200
      • InServ F-Class
      • InServ S400
      • InServ S800
      • T-Class
    • iSCSI (3PAR_vaaip_InServ)
      • InServ E200
      • InServ F-Class
      • InServ S400
      • InServ S800
      • T-Class
  • P9500
  • FC (hp-vaaip-p9000)
  • HP P9500
  • P2000
  • FC/iSCSI (hp-vaaip-p2000)
  • HP MSA P2000
  • LeftHand
    • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_lhn)
      • HP LeftHand P4500
      • HP LeftHand P4000 VSA
      • HP LeftHand P4000sb
      • HP LeftHand P4300 (HP LeftHand P4300 G2)
      • HP LeftHand P4500 (HP LeftHand P4500 G2)
      • HP LeftHand P4800
      • HP ProLiant DL380
      • Dell 2950
      • IBM x3650
      • LeftHand NSM 160
      • LeftHand NSM 185
      • LeftHand NSM 2060 (LeftHand NSM 2060 G2)
      • LeftHand NSM 2120 (LeftHand NSM 2120 G2)
      • LeftHand NSM 260
      • LeftHand NSM 320
      • LeftHand NSM 326
      • LeftHand NSM 3650
      • LeftHand NSM 380
      • LeftHand NSM 4150
      • LeftHand VSA
• IBM
  • FC/iSCSI (IBM_VAAIP_MODULE)
    • IBM XIV
    • IBM SVC
    • IBM V7000
    • Fujitsu VS850
    • Actifio
• NetApp
  • FC (VMW_VAAIP_NETAPP)
    • NetApp N3000 Series
    • NetApp N5000 Series
    • NetApp N6000 Series
    • NetApp N7000 Series
    • NetApp FAS2000 Series
    • NetApp FAS3000 Series
    • NetApp FAS3100 Series
    • NetApp FAS3200 Series
    • NetApp FAS6000 Series
    • NetApp FAS6200 Series
  • FCoE (VMW_VAAIP_NETAPP)
    • NetApp FAS3000 Series
    • NetApp FAS3100 Series
    • NetApp FAS3200 Series
    • NetApp FAS6000 Series
    • NetApp FAS6200 Series
  • iSCSI (VMW_VAAIP_NETAPP)
    • NetApp N3000 Series
    • NetApp N5000 Series
    • NetApp N6000 Series
    • NetApp N7000 Series
    • NetApp FAS2000 Series (Fujitsu Eternus NR1000F Series Model F2040)
    • NetApp FAS3000 Series
    • NetApp FAS3100 Series (Fujitsu Eternus NR1000F Series Model F3160)
    • NetApp FAS3200 Series
    • NetApp FAS6000 Series
    • NetApp FAS6200 Series

T10 Block Zero Only

• Bull
  • FC (vmw_vaaip_t10)
    • Bull Optima2000
  • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_t10)
    • Bull Optima2000c
    • Bull Optima2000i
• NEC
  • FC (vmw_vaaip_t10)
    • NEC iStorage D3-30
    • NEC iStorage D4-30
  • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_t10)
    • NEC iStorage D3-30/D3-30i
    • NEC iStorage D4-30/D4-30i
• Fujitsu
  • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_t10)
    • Fujitsu Eternus VS850
• IBM
  • iSCSI (vmw_vaaip_t10)
    • IBM Storwize V7000
    • IBM SVC

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | VMware VAAI Storage Array Support in Plain English
This post was categorized as Enterprise storage, Everything, Gestalt IT, Virtual Storage. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Everyone has a target on their backs, but they all aim in different directions

One of the amusing aspects of being self-employed is watching all the giants battle it out. Every company is gunning for someone, but the amazing thing is that they rarely point their sights directly at each other: NetApp is gunning for EMC who’s more focused on HP who wants to knock off Oracle who’s fixated on IBM. It sounds very “high school romance” but this is deadly-serious business.

The Enterprise IT Ladder: Dell, HP, Oracle, and IBM

Dell -> HP

No question about it: Dell wants to beat HP. It was bad enough back when PCs were king, with Dell constantly undercutting HP on price and supply chain efficiency. Dell went to retail, elbowing HP aside on the shelves at Staples, and even introduced a line of printers. But the enterprise data center has taken things to a whole new level. Dell’s plays in blade servers and storage are drawn from the same playbook, only there’s more in-house IP and R&D involved this time. Dell arguably got the iSCSI prize in EqualLogic but couldn’t seal the deal for 3PAR, settling on Compellent instead. They’re working hard in the professional services market; Could networking be next?

HP -> Oracle

For the longest time, HP wanted to be IBM. Then Oracle stomped on their servers with Sun and started flaunting their software-heavy profit margins. Appointing Leo Apothiker as CEO sends an unambiguous signal: HP’s gunning for Oracle. The printers, PC’s, servers, storage and networking gear isn’t going anywhere (HP’s got fights picked in each area), but software and services are the only way to make shares of HPQ perk up. Watch for some startling acquisitions and more bizarre rear-guard antics from Ellison and company.

Oracle -> IBM

Although Oracle is clearly enjoying poking sharp sticks in HP’s direction, they’re focused forward. Larry Ellison has seen the future, and it looks an awful lot like IBM: Massive services revenue, a “we do it all” executive sales pitch, and “hate to love us” handcuffs on the C-level executives at the largest global corporations. It’s worked so far: ORCL shares have risen steadily since the end of the last recession.

IBM -> IBM

IBM has seemed aimless for a decade. Armonk has won every enterprise IT war it’s fought, leaving it nowhere to turn. Spinning out the printer and PC businesses sent a signal that IBM was a different kind of company, and Wall Street is singing the chorus. In many ways, the middle-aged IBM of the 1980′s is the enemy of the new, with the company dreaming of a return to the “Mad Men” Big Blue of yore. Although this is much exactly what HP and Oracle are aiming for as well, IBM is the aloof valedictorian who just needs to keep his grades up until graduation.

Tag Team: EMC and Cisco -> HP

Cisco is like a mini IBM: All of their historical rivals are dead and buried, forcing them to look outside their traditional market for growth. Cisco seems loathe to climb the HP/Oracle/IBM ladder, seeking instead to take enough of their market to maintain solid revenue growth and profitability. Their blade servers smacked HP, which responded with a challenge in the networking space. Realizing they needed help, Cisco looked around for an “enemy of my enemy” to mount a serious IT infrastructure challenge.

What happens when you combine the market leaders in enterprise IT verticals like SAN storage, encryption and authentication, server virtualization, backup, and records management? You get EMC Corporation, the biggest company most “regular people” have never heard of. Something about “information.” Wall Street seems to have a hard time making sense of this company, too.

EMC seems overly concerned about smaller competitors (NetApp, Symantec, cloud providers), but the combination of EMC and Cisco is formidable indeed. The two and their joint venture, known as VCE, have the sales muscle to go head-to-head with Dell, HP, and IBM in the enterprise data center, and their control of key components make them a hard team to ignore.

The Wolves: NetApp and Juniper

NetApp -> EMC

Back in the 1980′s, Honda decimated the American carmakers with just a few models; They sold millions of Accords and Civics while GM watch whole brands disappear. That’s NetApp in the enterprise storage space. They pull in top-tier revenue quarter after quarter with essentially a single product line, taking on dozens of storage devices from HP, HDS, IBM, and EMC. Especially EMC. Talk to NetApp insiders and you’ll hear those three letters frequently, with precious little attention paid to anyone else. Data Domain might have made them a broader play, but NTAP shares have risen steadily since losing that takeover battle with EMC. Now NetApp is stripped down and running hard to close the revenue gap, too.

Juniper -> Cisco

Cisco is vulnerable in their core networking markets, and Juniper is ready to take them on. Since their $4 Billion acquisition of NetScreen in 2004, Juniper has been cherry-picking up-and-coming technologies in every market Cisco dominates, from the WAN to wireless. Though JNPR shares have taken their lumps, this is every bit a “Dell” to Cisco’s “HP”. The various networking sub-markets include many agile competitors, but Juniper is like NetApp: Insiders have a single-minded focus on the market leader.

Stephen’s Stance

The enterprise IT game is getting serious. Emerging from their historical strongholds, Dell, HP, and Oracle are each undermining the other, and everyone is chipping away at IBM. They each realize that they must focus upward for real growth rather than fighting a rear-guard against smaller and newer competitors. The challenge for HP and Oracle will be to expand rapidly enough to keep Wall Street from noticing the erosion from below.

Meanwhile, Cisco and EMC have joined forces out of necessity to grown both revenue and share price, while their own bases are chipped away by Juniper and NetApp. The upstarts can flourish within the verticals of networking and storage, but the VCE team is seems tenuous and uncertain. The joint venture can challenge the full-line players on a customer-by-customer basis, but history shows that only an integrated vendor can rock the enterprise IT world.

Although the information economy is growing, it will not be enough for everyone to survive. These competitors are too cut-throat to allow a smaller challenger to live, and each faces a real threat himself. The largest have a strong base to draw on, while the wolves will always find something to eat. It is those in the middle that face the most serious threat.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Every Company Is Gunning For Someone Else
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Everything, Gestalt IT, Virtual Storage. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Do you want X-series or P-series storage? Is A-series networking gear any good? And where did all these HP products come from?

HP has always been an alphabet soup company, assigning just about every item in their bewildering array of products a unique product number. Like Mercedes-Benz cars, even the product names are a mix of letters and numbers that can be off-putting to browsers. Now that they have grown to supersize proportions through internal expansion and acquisition, just about everyone outside the company seems to have trouble decoding the product line, so I decided to take a stab at decoding the enterprise lineup in plain english.

An Important Note

This is not a political activity. I’m not trying to comment on which product is better than which or pigeonhole something by calling it “midrange” when HP thinks it’s “high-end”. I’m trying to be descriptive and helpful to prospective buyers working to understand the multitude of products sold by HP.

I welcome your input. In fact, I demand it! I don’t know which product is which and need your help to improve this list. Please feel free to comment and suggest corrections and additions (wireless?)

Storage Products (“StorageWorks”)

HP’s storage products are divided into three categories:

• P-series is block (SAN) storage using Fibre Channel or iSCSI
• X-series is file (NAS) storage
• Disk backup will presumably get a letter series in the future

Storage Product Notes

HP engineering input into OEMed products ranges from minimal to substantial. The EML tape library, for example, is very different from the standard Oracle (STK) product on which it is based. The high-end Hitachi-based storage includes substantial HP input as well.

HP StorageWorks VP of Marketing Tom Joyce informed me that the 3PAR T- and F-Class boxes won’t be renamed at this point. This is probably a good move – capitalize on the value of the 3PAR name rather than the virtually-unknown “P-series” nomenclature.

Others tell me that the StorageWorks 4400 is hitting end-of-life in the now-ish timeframe. So it won’t get a new name either.

Networking Products

HP’s networking products are divided into three categories:

• A-series is enterprise-class core switching, routing, and 200+ AP wireless
• E-series is mid-market and SMB switching and smaller wireless
• V-series is SMB and SoHo web-managed and unmanaged switching and wireless

Networking Product Notes

HP’s 3Com acquisition focused primarily on the H3C (former Huawei/3Com joint venture) high-end switching and routing products. Although some 3Com gear remains in the E-series line (particularly stackable switches), the low-end fixed-port switches have seemingly been eliminated from the product line. The Colubris acquisition provided HP with scalable wireless products now slotted below the H3C gear.

Stephen’s Stance

Product lines are always confusing at large companies, and doubly so where acquisitions bring in legacy products and customers. I wish HP the best of luck sorting all this out!

Note: The photo at the top is of a Japanese clone of the Enigma Machine from World War II.

Image credit: Japanese WWII Enigma Machine by Radio Rover

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Stephen’s HP Product Line Decoder Ring
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

The players are lining up for the biggest acquisition game enterprise IT has witnessed in a while

Today is the (a?) day of reckoning in the 3Par saga, with Dell widely expected to make a counter-offer higher than HP’s bid. But this mega deal, like the Data Domain war before it, sends a strong signal to the enterprise IT world: It’s open season on data storage companies! But the rising superpowers are also likely looking at networking as an area of expansion. The game is afoot!

The Competitors

The simple fact is, enterprise IT prefers to buy from large, established names like HP and IBM rather than smaller and less-familiar companies with names like Ocarina, EqualLogic, or even 3Par. The acceleration of sales by enterprise providers is what makes these big acquisitions so successful and why others involving less-powerful players often fail to deliver the same results.

Full-line “superpowers” like IBM, HP and now Dell and the new Oracle can influence purchasing decisions across a broad spectrum of hardware and software. Many large organizations are tightly coupled to one of these vendors, and will give their products stronger consideration even when they are new or unfamiliar. HP is already flexing their muscle selling their broadened network lineup, and Dell found that it could do this in data storage.

Software vendors like Microsoft, Citrix, and Oracle adamantly maintained a neutral stance toward hardware, but Ellison and company seem serious about changing this. Oracle’s success in selling Sun hardware will likely dictate further software acquisitions for Dell and HP, though IBM already has strength there. Then there is Intel, the wild card who just got wilder with their acquisition of McAfee.

Companies with narrower focus like Cisco, EMC, NetApp, Juniper, and Brocade have the same power within their sphere of influence but cannot pull in wholly-distinct products. Cisco is in the midst of this fight with their technically-excellent UCS blade servers: Although they were certainly a strategic CIO-level vendor in the largest organizations, “blades from a networking company” isn’t the as easy a decision as “networking gear from a full-line company.”

The Game

Then one must consider the market in contention. The enterprise IT space is not expanding, especially in the United States. This is very close to a zero-sum game, with Oracle’s or Dell’s wins being HP’s or IBM’s losses and vice-versa. There is massive money in play, and flexibility enough for it to swing between the competitors, but growth is not unlimited.

Enterprise storage and data center and campus networking are two areas where smaller companies retain enviably-large slices of the pie, explaining the interest in these spaces among the superpowers. These verticals still have room for sales to grow without displacing a fierce full-line foe, and the superpowers have lately been weak here. Storage and networking are enticing opportunities, but each slice is similarly dominated by “vertical superpowers” and partners EMC and Cisco.

So this is the game: Four full-line enterprise superpowers battling each other for datacenter dominance and coveting the extra profits of a few verticals. HP clearly believes they can chip away at EMC and Cisco in storage and networking; Dell and IBM have so far focused mainly on storage; and Oracle hasn’t made a move in either direction, instead challenging the other three in the core server and software space.

Pawns or Knights?

So where does this leave the smaller players? Are they merely pawns in the game, waiting to be sacrificed, or are they knights who can wield power across the field? The largest (Cisco and EMC especially) appear to have ambitions of their own as well as the financial and technical strength to shake up the game. They are unlikely to be acquired by the superpowers. Brocade, too, has broad strength in storage and networking but maintains relationships across the board that make an acquisition difficult.

Strong vertical players like Juniper, NetApp, Riverbed, and Compellent are ripe for acquisition, as were Foundry, 3Com, Data Domain, and 3Par. IBM, Dell, and Oracle are all likely buyers of the networking players, though HP may consider filling in where 3Com was found lacking. All four will likely take a strong look at the remaining storage players as well, with the loser in the battle for 3Par likely to be hungry indeed.

One should also consider the potential impact of smaller acquisitions. Although they would not immediately “move the needle” for a massive superpower, there are many excellent technology companies that could be bought low and pushed strongly. The enterprise-class technology at Sepaton, Pillar Data, Xiotech, BlueArc, Extreme Networks, Force10, Blue Coat, Isilon, CommVault, FalconStor, and many others should not be overlooked. If a superpower can drive a larger acquisition to succeed, imagine what they can do with strong but inexpensive technology from one of these!

Stephen’s Stance

This game is nowhere near finished. The 3Par acquisition will not only generate revenue, it will shake up the ranking of data storage array dominance. This is very likely to kick off additional acquisition in the data storage space, spurring either Dell or HP to pick up additional technology and perhaps causing IBM or Oracle to engage as well. With no easy alternatives to 3Par, I expect Compellent, Xiotech, and Pillar to get closer looks, but Sepaton and BlueArc are just as ripe. NetApp may be too expensive at this point, but would be a nice match for Oracle’s strategy.

HP’s acquisition of 3Com could also signal a race to integrate datacenter and campus networking technology into the stack. Many are suggesting a Brocade acquisition, and it would be much cheaper than Juniper, but OEM ties make it a difficult purchase for any of the superpowers. Extreme and Force10 would be excellent and less-expensive alternatives.

We should also keep our eyes outside the superpower space. Intel showed that they can make big moves, and Microsoft might consider a diversification into hardware as well. One should also look to the East, where Huawei could try to enter the Western market with a merger or joint-venture to cast off the China stigma. Although I would love to see a rebel alliance rise (imagine Juniper, NetApp, and Symantec joining forces!) this is not a likely scenario.

Image credit: Chess Board by mosdave

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | The Enterprise IT Acquisition Game
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Everything, Gestalt IT, Virtual Storage. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Who will power the enterprise? The smart money is betting on a few superpowers taking over.

After years spent focusing on personal technology, businesses are increasingly turning back to the enterprise. There are many reasons for this, but the biggest one is the poor economy. Individuals simply have less free cash to spend on gadgets and software, and the meagre profits are increasingly going into the pockets of a single company: Apple.

The corporate IT market is much more dynamic and competitive, with a few very large “superpower” companies discovering their power to drive purchasing decisions. If a supplier can create an integrated “stack” of hardware and software, they can push product purchases that might otherwise be overlooked or postponed. This is the main reason that enterprise IT acquisitions work so well: Where a small company must fight to sell their product, a large one can hitch it to a much more strategic sale and have it pulled along.

The old IBM model is the prototype, with that company once selling everything from office equipment to datacenter gear as well as the consulting and integration services to make it all work.

HP has spent almost two decades bulking up to become the new IBM, buying their way into open systems laptops, desktops, and servers (Compaq), networking (3Com), services (EDS), and storage (Compaq, LeftHand, Ibrix, and perhaps 3Par). HP has been remarkably proficient at executing on this enterprise plan: In talking to enterprise IT folks, I often hear IBM-esque sentiments regarding the new HP. They tell me they’re willing to give HP the benefit of the doubt when it comes to new technologies and products, buying on basis of the company’s reputation and ability to make everything work. This bodes well for the company’s post-Hurd future, and HP has the most-complete “enterprise stack” in the business.

But HP has a target on its back, pinned there by Dell. The folks from Round Rock believe they can be more efficient (and thus profitable) than HP in the same markets, and have been making moves to fortify their enterprise offerings. Dell was always more of a manufacturing than R&D business, but they have shown a desire to broaden their focus. Intrigued by the high-margin mid-enterprise storage business built from their EqualLogic acquisition and their success selling EMC storage, Dell is moving into the enterprise. They matched HP/EDS by purchasing Perot and have made smaller buys in storage (Ocarina, Exanet) as well as the big move for 3Par.

The next big emerging stack player is Oracle. The acquisition of Sun gave Oracle a strong hardware base to complement their command of enterprise software, and many expect further acquisitions. But Oracle is playing a different game than HP and Dell, focusing on the high-margin enterprise space and ignoring more competitive outlying areas. Many suspect the company might make a play in the network space (Brocade, Juniper, and F5 have been mentioned) but storage is possible as well. CEO Larry Ellison is a major investor in Pillar Data Systems, so many expect a spin-in here. But Oracle has the appetite for something much bigger, even EMC or NetApp.

Then there is Cisco, who have attempted to parlay their data center networking strength into a broader position. But Cisco’s halting moves into storage (Fibre Channel switching and SAN extension) did not displace the market leaders, and their server products (UCS) have not made much of a dent on HP, IBM, and Dell either. A solid partnership with EMC has delayed further forays into the enterprise storage market, and Cisco seems puzzlingly interested in low-margin access businesses (Linksys, Flip) and their Cius tablet.

There are other players in the enterprise space as well. EMC has diversified under CEO Joe Tucci, taking a dominant position in server virtualization (VMware) and making a strong enterprise security acquisition (RSA). But the many faces of enterprise storage remains EMC’s strength, and they seem content to partner with Cisco for a stack sale. Hitachi, NEC, and Fujitsu also offer varying enterprise hardware and software stacks, but their comparatively small sales presence in the US market limits their ability to execute. In the final analysis, only IBM, HP, Dell, and perhaps Oracle can claim to be enterprise IT superpowers at this point.

Image credit: Steam Engine by Stuck in Customs

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Meet the Enterprise IT Superpowers
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Gestalt IT, Virtual Storage. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

But there’s an amazing short-term win to be had for whoever acquires 3Par. According to IDC, the race for number two in external disk storage system sales is a bitter fight. IBM, NetApp, HP, and Dell are all within striking distance of each other, pulling in between $500 and $579 million dollars while big daddy EMC makes more than any two of them. The battle between HP and Dell in storage arrays is a dead heat, with just $6 million separating the two.

The 3Par acquisition creates a massive market-share shift!

It’s no wonder HP and Dell are fighting over 3Par! That acquisition is good for an easy $50 million in quarterly revenue, and a strong sales push could make this $60 million. This extra revenue cements the buyer ahead of his rival and makes him a challenger to IBM and NetApp. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see the winner vault into the number 2 spot within a year.

This is a huge win for HP or Dell and a serious egg-on-the-face moment for NetApp, IBM and the loser. Sure, $1.7 billion is a lot to pay for $250 million in revenue, but the winner gets immediate bragging rights and a serious prospect of breaking free of the second-place pack. 3Par’s technology is unique in being a real tier-1 threat. This was an issue for the company as a startup, but becomes a serious asset in the hands of HP or Dell (or, dare I suggest, Oracle or NetApp). A well-executed transition and sales execution will cement HP or Dell as the most-credible competitor to EMC within a few years.

Stephen’s Stance

The 3Par acquisition makes so much sense, one wonders why it didn’t happen sooner. Dell clearly sees this as a higher-end repeat of their success with EqualLogic and gives them a chance to earn some additional enterprise credibility. An HP acquisition makes just as much sense, giving them fresh SAN technology and letting them pull ahead of Dell once again. A big deal like this also gives HP’s Dave Donatelli some internal clout in the aftermath of the Hurd fiasco. I expect a counter-offer or two before this is done, but 3Par remains attractive at even a billion more.

Will anyone else join the fray? IBM seems happy with XIV, though the market doesn’t see that product as tier-1. I expect them to stand pat. Oracle should jump in, given the souring of their Sun-era Hitachi OEM deal. Passing on 3Par leaves them with no enterprise SAN chair when the music stops, but they might not feel that they need this kind of hardware. Cisco could use the 3Par technology to reject EMC, but they might not be ready for that move. Another idea is perennial second-place storage company NetApp, who might be able to afford to play this game and could really use a new product line.

What’s left for the loser? Not much. There isn’t another startup with credible tier-1 SAN intentions. Compellent is a great alternative in the midrange SAN market, and Xiotech has great SAN technology here, too. Everyone assumes Oracle will pick up Pillar, and then there’s BlueArc and Isilon waiting in the NAS space. But none of these are a slam-dunk in terms of market share, and the value question looms large when it comes to any high-P/E acquisition. Expect more acquisitions in the coming quarters, but the 3Par game looks like a highlight.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Everyone Loves 3Par – Here’s Why!
This post was categorized as Enterprise storage, Gestalt IT. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

I’ve long wished for a new enterprise storage superpower. Competition is good for everyone, and the enterprise storage space has always been highly competitive. Traditional SAN storage powers (EMC, HDS, HP, and IBM) have been under continual attack from tech-heavy upstarts like EqualLogic, LeftHand, Compellent, Xiotech, and 3Par. The smaller (revenue-wise) NAS market has been more serial, with NetApp knocking off Auspex, then challenged by EMC. Yet innovators have been thick there as well, from Exanet to Ibrix, Isilon to Onstor.

Through it all, one thing has been clear: The major companies, though perhaps lagging in technology, were usually able to withstand the attack of the upstarts through sheer strength of salesforce. Storage is a strategic investment, and selection of a storage platform is much more far-reaching than many IT product decisions. The inertia of an installed storage environment makes it a real challenge to switch vendors, giving the established players massive leverage.

It became clear to me and many others that the best way for upstart companies (and, by extension, technologies) was to be part of an established vendor’s sales process. OEM relationships were a big part of this (witness the success of BlueArc and even NetApp and HDS) but acquisition was a much stronger proposition. If customers were warmer to OEM products than independent sales, they are much hotter when it comes to acquired technology. HP, Dell, IBM, and EMC have all demonstrated the power that comes when an established company buys a startup and puts the power of their sales force behind these new products.

This explains Dell’s fantastic success with EqualLogic. They took a product that was emerging as dominant in its niche (midrange iSCSI SAN) and blasted it into the market, while at the same time optimizing manufacturing and deployment. EMC did the same with Clariion and DataDomain, and HP is showing strong signs of health with LeftHand and Ibrix. Then there is IBM, who took XIV out of Israel and made it a source of irritation to the rest of the industry.

Many industry watchers have long wondered what would happen if the smaller guys got together, forming a new superpower of their own. Would 3Par, BlueArc, and Sepaton be a real challenger? What about Xiotech or Compellent and Isilon or FalconStor? Is mixing and matching some smaller companies a recipe for success? The answer was often a counter-question: What if someone like Dell, who knows how to manufacture and sell, picked them up instead? This seemed much more like a sure-thing, since the established management and financials stave off potential integration issues.

It appears that this is the future. Established players will pick up smaller companies, fortifying their offerings and accelerating sales in a way the little guys weren’t capable of. Dell’s billion-dollar acquisition of 3Par reportedly headed off a similar offer from HP, and will likely spark another acquisition. I imagine the management teams at Compellent and Xiotech just got a lot busier…

Clearly, Dell and HP are playing this game. IBM and EMC are in it, too. But what about Cisco and Oracle? Could they be planning storage acquisitions of their own, to the detriment of partners like EMC and Hitachi? What about the strong contingent from Japan, NEC and Hitachi? And who gets picked up next? We shall see!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Dell + EqualLogic, Exanet, Ocarina, 3Par = What?
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Gestalt IT. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

I’m pleased to be heading back to Interop this spring with two sessions on enterprise storage. Although significantly changed from the old “Networld + Interop” days, the event is enjoyable and technical, with many interesting sessions and speakers. And the New York show at least had plenty of end user attendees!

Interop Las Vegas is April 25-29, 2010, and registration appears to still be open. Let me know if you’ll be there!

My two sessions:

State of the Art Thin Provisioning

Wednesday, April 28 10:15 AM–11:15 AM

The concept of thin provisioning is not new, but the state of the art has advanced, adding awareness between the operating system and storage device for enhanced efficiency. This session introduces the value proposition and concept of thin provisioning, covers the technology of the major thin storage vendors (3PAR, BlueArc, Compellent, Dell, EMC, HDS, HP, IBM, NetApp, Pillar) and operating system integration layers (Symantec, VMware, and T10), and presents novel approaches from Data Robotics, Apple, and cloud storage systems. We will present the pros and cons of these various approaches in the context of enterprise storage management.

The Right Approach to Cloud Storage

Wednesday, April 28 11:30 AM–12:30 PM

Enterprises are now leveraging cloud storage services at a rapid pace and are looking for qualified answers on how using a cloud platform can increase efficiency and ROI simultaneously. The old model of purchasing expensive storage systems or using large amounts of tape are prehistoric, adapting a new approach to storage is necessary in today’s tough economic climate as budgets continue to be slashed and performance upkeep is critical. This session will enable users to learn about the benefits and economies of scale as it relates to developing/implementing a cloud storage solution, a focus will be placed on performance, cost-effectiveness, user experience, and customer service/satisfaction.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Thin Provisioning and Cloud Storage: My Interop 2010 Topics
This post was categorized as Enterprise storage, Personal, Virtual Storage. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

EMC is Mercedes-Benz

It’s big. It’s expensive. It’s powerful. Lots of folks say it’s the best, but some think the emperor isn’t wearing a stitch of clothing. Either way, you know you want one. But what’s up with all the weird models and brands? Even the low-end models cost twice as much as their competitors, and it’s awfully hard to justify the price when there are so many competitors running around… Some thought the purchase of a low-end, mass-market company** would drag the brand down, but it led to weird synergies that we’re just starting to see, let alone figure out.

HDS is Toyota/Lexus

The top models are pricy, but not as bad as the big guy. The low-end ones are killer, but not the super value they once were. They’re efficient, powerful, and luxurious, offering everything you might want and lots that no one else has. But they just don’t have the same cachet. No matter how great it is or how much it cost, everyone has a sneaking suspicion that you cheaped-out or just picked up the first thing you took for a test drive.

IBM is General Motors

They once ruled the whole market and were the standard of the world. They invented or popularized pretty much everything in the industry, had massive market share, and commanded huge margins. After some stumbles, they’re back with solid offerings and a touch of real innovation. But folks just don’t seem to give them any credit anymore. Even though they still sell like crazy, the glamour is gone. Now it’s time for rebuilding, and no one can tell what will happen: Will they rule again or fail completely?

HP is Ford

That other company thinks they invented everything, but insiders know that this one actually did. Sure they don’t rule the market right now, but they’ve been there a few times before. Some of their best technology is borrowed from acquisitions, but who’s to say that’s bad? Put it all together and you have a real force in the market, one that’s rapidly gaining while everyone else isn’t looking.

Sun is Chrysler

No one has fanboys like these guys. Sure they never really ruled the world, but they brought out wave after wave of killer products for decades. Everyone counted them out, but they always came back with something interesting. Then the realities of the business world hit. Will they have yet another act or is this really the end?**

Dell is Hyundai

They have a wide range of offerings, ranging from good economical models to near luxury, but people often overlook or ignore them. Maybe that’s because so much of their business is done with the kind of folks who just aren’t fanatical about this stuff, or maybe it’s because they weren’t even in this market until (relatively) recently. But watch out: Their new stuff is on the rise, and they might put forth a real challenge to the market leaders soon!

NetApp is Honda

They’re not as cheap as they used to be, but they’ve shown that you can do a lot without over-extending yourself. They steadfastly refuse to match what everyone else is doing, sticking to what they know best and adding enhancements until it becomes real competition, even for the biggest guys. In fact, if you asked them privately, everyone else would point to this little company as their biggest threat!

3PAR is BMW

Ask anyone who owns one and they’ll wax poetic about how great it is. Sure it’s expensive, but it’s just as good as the market leaders, if not better! But they’re still a little company trying to make the most of just a few core components. Everyone is amazed they’ve remained independent this long, and analysts keep predicting they’ll sell out very soon!

BlueArc is Jaguar

They’ve only got a few models and they offer killer performance at a premium price. A certain kind of customer would never buy anything else, but the rest of the world just scratches their heads and wonders who’s going to buy them and when.

Compellent is Mazda

They did some strange things way back when but the model has proved itself. They may not be right for everyone, but they’re perfect for a certain price point. Even though their market share is small, they continue to get an inordinate amount of press due to innovative features and high performance. But can this little player survive alone?

Pillar is Tesla

Awesome! That’s all anyone seems to say, since they’re doing crazy innovative things. But it’s awfully hard to find anyone who owns one, and folks seem to pay more attention to the investors than the product.

Xiotech is Nissan

Even folks who own them aren’t generally all that excited, but everyone tells you they’re solid and affordable. But they’re working on some things that are totally off the wall and might have a second wind yet!

Nexsan is Kia

They’re cheap and solid and just keep raking in the dough. But the press and analysts always ignore them…

NEC is Mitsubishi

Did you forget they made this stuff? Seriously, they’re selling well and some folks just love them. Really! You should take a look! Hey, wait, where are you going?

Texas Memory Systems is Lotus

You’re more likely to encounter them working with another vendor, but they offer totally killer performance if you’ve got the money. But how long can a tiny niche vendor like this last?

Violin is Spyker

Who? Ask the man who owns one…

* This is all in fun – let’s not get our panties in a bunch!

**Yes, we’re ignoring obvious mismatches in ownership

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2009. | If Storage Vendors Were Automakers…
This post was categorized as Computer History, Enterprise storage, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.