HP Offers "Lean" Managed Cloud Service

HP announced HP Helion Managed Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Lean, a managed Infrastructure-as-a-Service offering for lighter workloads. These are workloads like application development and test environments, as well as workplace collaboration solutions.

The service is meant to make it easy to get started with HP's managed cloud. It is a low-cost managed virtual private cloud for entry-level access, providing some basic features found in its full managed-cloud service. Pre-packaged configurations mean faster times to deploy. Customers can add managed services like backup as they go.

It lowers the barrier to entry for managed cloud. HP said it will continue to diversify its pre-packaged cloud solutions to target specific use cases to make it generally simpler to use its cloud infrastructure.  Cloud providers continue to diversify the types of workloads they target, as well as make managed cloud services affordable for smaller companies.

The service touts better workload performance and better service delivery at significantly lower cost than traditional managed cloud. Pricing starts at $168 per month for a small virtual server configuration. A pilot trial service is also available.

HP Helion Managed VPC Lean offers HP Account Support along with faster OS and application certification for cloud. The service can be bundled with other enterprise services, including HP Management Services, SAP HANA Management Service and Database-as-a-service.

“HP already offers a feature-rich industry-leading managed virtual private cloud offering for enterprise customers,” said Jim Fanella, vice president, Workload and Cloud, HP Enterprise Services. “The new HP Helion Managed VPC Lean now delivers a lower-priced alternative designed to enable clients to further optimize cloud workloads in the enterprise, while still providing superior, enterprise-class service and performance.”

In another bid to make using cloud simpler, HP recently announced the Helion Network. The Helion Network is an attempt to create an ecosystem of independent software vendors, developers, system integrators and value-added resellers that will drive adoption of open standards-based hybrid cloud services.

The network is essentially a meeting ground for those developing cloud solutions that are, at various degrees, HP-centric. Those that join the Helion network have a chance to tap into a wider customer base for cloud that harnesses HP and partner technology and expertise.