HP Fast-Tracks Private Cloud Deployments

The tech giant on Monday unveiled HP CloudStart, a speedy private cloud deployment offering that comprises hardware, software and services to build and deploy a private cloud within 30 days.

"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.

HP CloudStart gives users the ability to deliver pay-per-use services reliably and securely from a common portal and the ability to scale and deploy new services automatically. Real-time access to consumption and chargeback reports allows clients to operate their private clouds in the same fashion as a public cloud, HP said. Cloud start also lets users integrate their private clouds with third-party portals, public cloud services, usage billing packages and multiplatform research management.

The CloudStart backbone leverages HP BladeSystem Matrix, enhanced with HP Cloud Service Automation software and data service by HP StorageWorks. HP claims that CloudStart, which is delivered by HP Cloud Consulting Services, can reduce provisioning times by up to 80 percent by offering one-touch provisioning across infrastructure, applications and business services.

HP claims the CloudStart offering can reduce compliance-management time by 75 percent; improve business response time by delivering services on-demand and as needed; simplified addition and management of pools of network, storage and server resources; and best-practice guidance from HP Services.

Expected to be available globally in December, HP CloudStart is available now in Asia-Pacific and Japan, HP said.

Along with HP CloudStart, Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP on Monday also unveiled Cloud Maps, navigation systems that contain engineering elements like templates, workflows, deployment scripts, sizers and whitepapers for use with solutions from VMware, SAP, Oracle and Microsoft to speed deployment and reduce risk. HP said Cloud Maps are imported directly into cloud environments to enable customers to build a catalog of cloud services.

The launch of Cloud Maps and CloudStart coincides with HP's recent private cloud push, which includes the formation of a team of Cloud Advisors and also includes a Cloud Scorecard to help enterprises determine their cloud strategy and cloud preparedness.