HPE debuts hybrid storage configs: Rising SSD costs hit supercomputing
HPE aims for the market with faster, more cost-effective HPC storage to combat rising costs
HPE has introduced new hybrid storage configurations for its Cray Supercomputing Storage Systems, aimed at high-performance compute customers. These systems boast up to a 41 percent increase in data throughput per storage rack, with potential read and write speeds of 116 GB/s and 92 GB/s respectively. This upgrade also provides up to 32 percent more usable storage capacity per rack, catering to the growing size of datasets in high-performance computing, particularly where artificial intelligence (AI) and traditional simulation-style workloads coexist.
HPE's Cray Supercomputing Storage Systems E2000 line already offers all-flash, all-disk, tiered, and hybrid configurations, but these latest additions are particularly notable. They combine solid-state drives (SSDs) with new 32 TB SAS-4 (24 Gb/s SAS) hard disk drives (HDDs) and enclosures that support either 74 or 100 drives. HPE attributes the development of these hybrid configurations to rising storage costs, stemming from the surging demand for AI infrastructure, which is driving up the price of components such as memory and other resources.
Meanwhile, silicon-based NAND flash SSD prices have seen even faster growth, as reported by Blocks & Files.
The company believes these hybrid configurations will enable research institutions and national laboratories to allocate more budget towards compute node purchases, without sacrificing performance. According to Trish Damkroger, HPE's senior vice president for HPC and AI Infrastructure Solutions, these systems cater to the evolving, dynamic requirements of environments where advanced workloads are rapidly changing.
In addition to the hybrid storage configurations, HPE has unveiled a Rack Management Controller that offers intelligent liquid cooling through real-time monitoring, leak detection, and automated control features. This controller integrates with HPE Supercomputing Management Software to gather telemetry and provide control. Several versions of the Rack Management Controller, each tailored to different rack-scale systems, will be released, with support starting with HPE's own Cray Supercomputing GX5000 infrastructure in March 2027, followed by versions for Nvidia’s NVL72 and AMD’s Helion and Helios kit in June 2027.
Written by urgent.news from The Register's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
