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HPE 3PAR

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HPE 3PAR
NameHPE 3PAR
Developer3PAR
ManufacturerHewlett Packard Enterprise
TypeStorage area network
Released2002
OsHPE 3PAR OS
ConnectivityFibre Channel, iSCSI, Fibre Channel over Ethernet

HPE 3PAR. It is a line of enterprise storage area network (SAN) systems originally developed by the company 3PAR and later acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The platform is designed for multi-tenancy and cloud computing environments, emphasizing thin provisioning and storage virtualization. It is known for its scale-out architecture and has been widely adopted in large data centers and for mission-critical applications.

Overview

The HPE 3PAR system was conceived to address inefficiencies in traditional storage arrays, particularly the underutilization of disk capacity. Its design philosophy centers on a shared-everything architecture that distributes workloads across all controller nodes and disk drives. This approach provides high levels of availability and performance for demanding applications like online transaction processing (OLTP) and databases. The platform integrates tightly with major hypervisors, including those from VMware and Microsoft, and supports OpenStack for cloud storage management.

Architecture

The core architectural principle is a mesh-active cluster where all controller nodes participate simultaneously in processing I/O requests. Data is striped across all drives in chunklet-sized pieces using a RAID scheme, which enhances performance and rebuild times. The system employs ASIC-based hardware for data deduplication and compression tasks, offloading this work from the main CPUs. Connectivity is provided through standard Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) switches, allowing integration into diverse data center environments.

Features

Key features include fine-grained thin provisioning, which allows LUNs to consume only the physical capacity they actually use. The system offers robust data deduplication and compression services, often performed inline to maximize usable capacity. Advanced software-defined storage capabilities are provided through the HPE 3PAR OS, enabling quality of service (QoS) controls and multi-tenancy for cloud service providers. It also supports synchronous and asynchronous remote copy for disaster recovery, compatible with solutions like HPE Peer Persistence.

Operating system

The array is managed by the HPE 3PAR OS, a proprietary operating system that provides the file system and volume management layers. This software delivers a single management interface for all system functions, from provisioning to performance monitoring. It includes tools like HPE SSMC (StoreServ Management Console) and offers extensive API support for automation with platforms like Ansible and vRealize Orchestrator. The OS receives regular updates from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, adding support for new protocols like NVMe over Fabrics.

Models and generations

The product line has evolved through several generations since its initial launch. Early models from 3PAR, such as the InServ T- and F-Class, established the architectural foundation. Following the acquisition, Hewlett Packard Enterprise introduced the StoreServ series, including the 7000, 8000, 9000, and 20000 families. These later models incorporated faster Intel processors, increased support for SSDs and NVMe, and greater scalability. The HPE Primera and HPE Alletra lines represent the technological evolution and eventual succession of the platform.

History and acquisition

The technology was originally developed by the company 3PAR, founded in 1999 by Ashok Singhal and others. 3PAR launched its first InServ storage server in 2002, competing with established players like EMC Corporation and Hitachi Data Systems. In 2010, a high-profile bidding war for 3PAR occurred between Hewlett-Packard and Dell, culminating in Hewlett-Packard's acquisition for approximately $2.4 billion. The technology was integrated into Hewlett Packard Enterprise's portfolio following the split of Hewlett-Packard in 2015, becoming a cornerstone of its converged infrastructure and composable infrastructure solutions.

Category:Computer storage devices Category:Hewlett Packard Enterprise hardware Category:Cloud storage