How Modern Compute Platforms Drive Server Modernization and Hybrid Cloud Success

Compute platforms have evolved from basic infrastructure components to the digital backbone of modern businesses. With data volumes skyrocketing and business demands intensifying, organizations are shifting towards more agile, scalable, and efficient computing solutions. The traditional on-premises model is increasingly being replaced by hybrid cloud environments that combine the strengths of both worlds. Today, compute platforms are central to transforming data into value, thus powering critical applications, and accelerating workloads.

Server modernization is a key driver in this evolution. Businesses can unlock new opportunities and overcome IT challenges by adopting a hybrid cloud strategy and leveraging modern consumption models. This shift requires effective compute ops management to ensure cloud-like experiences with enhanced security and optimized performance. As enterprises pursue faster time-to-market and greater flexibility, the demand for secure, scalable compute platforms continues to grow.

In this article, we explore how modern compute platforms are revolutionizing operations and meeting the critical needs of a modern hybrid infrastructure. We discuss the adoption of cloud operating models, the importance of security by design, and the optimization of performance for specific workloads – strategies essential for organizations looking to thrive in the digital age.

Watch: Becoming An Insights-Driven Enterprise With HPE Storage Solutions

The Need For Server Modernization

Traditional centralized architectures often fall short of meeting the demands of contemporary business operations. Companies relying on legacy infrastructure are hampered by centralized architectures, complex management, and outdated security approaches. Legacy systems often create challenges that hinder modern workloads, such as:

• Performance limitations: Older systems may lack the processing power and storage capacity required for demanding tasks and dispersed workforces.
• Security vulnerabilities: Outdated systems are more susceptible to cyber threats.
• Operational inefficiencies: Managing complex infrastructure with legacy systems can be time-consuming and costly. They frequently have rigid purchasing plans that restrict the agility necessary to meet modern business demands.
• Lack of scalability: Traditional systems often struggle to adapt to evolving business needs, especially with the proliferation of AI and ML use cases.

As enterprises increasingly distribute data across data centers, private clouds, and public clouds, they encounter significant challenges in managing complex infrastructures. This makes IT infrastructure and server modernization important due to the growing data volume, complexity and the rapid pace of technological advancements.

Moreover, several key challenges emerge in compute operations management:

• Data distribution: As data becomes more distributed, it increases the strain on compute systems and complicates infrastructure management.
• Security risks: With the rise of cyberattacks, ensuring robust security across data centers, edge environments, and clouds is critical.
• Performance demands: Emerging workloads like AI and machine learning require high-performance compute resources optimized for specific tasks.
• Hybrid cloud management: Managing mixed infrastructures across various environments presents visibility, cost management, and sustainability challenges.

Modern compute platforms, such as the HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers, offer the scalability, agility, and security needed to manage today’s distributed workloads. When deployed through HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management, these servers provide a cloud operating model that delivers trusted security by design and optimized performance for specialized workloads.

The Shift To A Modern Compute Platform

Organizations are increasingly transitioning to flexible consumption models, similar to the public cloud’s pay-as-you-go approach. This shift is driven by the need for agility, cost efficiency, and rapid scalability. Hybrid cloud environments thus offer the best of both worlds to provide on-demand access to resources and cloud-native services, while maintaining control over sensitive data within private cloud architectures.

However, many organizations are still in the early stages of their hybrid cloud journey. The urgency to adopt this model is driven by the need to address key IT challenges – including the demand for modern IT delivery methods like managed services and as-a-service solutions. These approaches enable enterprises to access the latest compute resources tailored to specific workloads, without the need for significant capital investment.

To address these challenges, organizations are increasingly turning to compute platforms that enable server modernization and streamlined compute ops management. They offer greater flexibility, scalability, and security, allowing businesses to adapt more effectively to changing market conditions.

Transitioning to cloud consumption models offers several benefits:

• Self-service: Centralized management for streamlined operations.
• Flexible payment: CapEx, OpEx, and subscription options to match business needs.
• Flexible and scalable: Adapting to changing capacity requirements.

Enhanced security: Addressing growing threats in a modern environment.

Meeting Modern IT Requirements

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) leads the way in server modernization with its ProLiant Gen11 servers and HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management. These solutions cater to the demands of modern hybrid infrastructures.

The innovations embedded into HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers and HPE GreenLake offer substantial features to transform your operations:

• Versatile compute platform: HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers are adaptable, fitting seamlessly into traditional data centers, hybrid cloud setups, or as managed services via HPE GreenLake. This flexibility ensures they meet the diverse needs of modern IT environments and empowers organizations to optimize IT spending with a pay-as-you-go model. 
• Cloud operating model: The ProLiant Gen11 servers, available through HPE GreenLake, offer a cloud-like consumption model for compute devices. With HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management, IT teams can manage and provision servers across distributed environments, simplifying infrastructure management and allowing a focus on strategic initiatives. This model also supports sustainability by providing emissions and energy metrics for individual servers.
• Trusted security by design: Protect sensitive data against sophisticated cyber threats. Security is integral to HPE’s approach, with a zero-trust lifecycle built into ProLiant Gen11 servers. HPE’s Silicon Root of Trust secures the boot process and provides ongoing runtime attestation, ensuring compliance and security throughout the server's lifecycle.
• Optimized workload performance: Accelerate applications and reduce latency to enhance user experience. HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers deliver exceptional performance for demanding workloads, including AI, ML, VDI, and data analytics, thanks to advanced hardware features like DDR5 memory and the latest Intel and AMD processors. Quickly adapt to changing business needs with scalable and flexible infrastructure.

HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management also delivers a cloud-like experience for on-premises infrastructure. It addresses modern challenges by offering:

• Simplified management: Centralized control for easy provisioning and monitoring.
• Scalability: Effortlessly scale up or down based on demand.
• Robust security: Advanced security measures and compliance certifications ensure data protection.

Final Thoughts

IT professionals face a growing need to future-proof their infrastructure for the hybrid and multi-cloud landscape. HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers and HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management provide a powerful solution for server modernization. This comprehensive offering delivers the scalability, security, and performance businesses demand today.

By leveraging these technologies, organizations can streamline compute ops management, optimize server lifecycles, and gain a competitive edge. With our expertise in server modernization solutions, WEI can help you navigate this transition. Contact us today to unlock the full potential of your HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers and propel your business into the digital future.

Next Steps: In today's competitive landscape, becoming a data-driven organization is essential for understanding customer needs, driving strategic decisions, and achieving business growth. Every day, WEI helps businesses leverage advanced analytics, big data, IoT, and cloud computing to gain real-time insights and make agile decisions. This transformation enables companies to tailor their offerings, improve customer acquisition and retention, and drive profitability.

Download our tech brief, Transforming Into A Data-Driven Organization: The Modernization Imperative, to discover:

• The definition of data modernization
• The importance of being data-driven
• The power and potential of untapped data
• Why technology should have a human element
• Three cybersecurity challenges for data modernization