HPE, Westcoast discuss partner opportunities, everything-as-a-service

Webinar explored the business value of HPE GreenLake
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(Image: HPE)

30 April 2021

Today, the need for businesses to move fast and adapt quickly to change is greater than ever before. Bringing the cloud experience clients want, while keeping costs predictable and giving them control of their business can be a challenge.

As organisations push forward with their transformation efforts, everything-as-a-service (EaaS) computing is providing greater agility, flexibility, and speed. HPE GreenLake is leading the way for EaaS. It was designed to enable users to adopt transformative technology faster and simplify operations by delivering on-site private cloud services and infrastructure as-a-service in a pay-per-use model.

Highlighting the business value of the services bundle was the central idea of a webinar now available on-demand from HPE and Westcoast. Taking place 22 April, the event was titled HPE GreenLake, The Partner Opportunity. Opening the event was Steve Docherty, channel leader, HPE, who delivered an introductory address where he explained EaaS, GreenLake and the value for customers and partners alike. Stuart Wareham, HPE GreenLake commercial lead, Westcoast UK then discussed the partner opportunity for those selling HPE GreenLake. Wareham highlighted how GreenLake redefines the customer experience, the benefits of flex capacity, as well as revenues partners can expect to earn. There was also a Q&A session where Docherty and Wareham answered partner questions alongside Dave Dunne general manager, Westcoast Ireland and Noel Brilly, HPE GreenLake Manager.

Speaking to TechCentral.ie, Docherty explained why HPE is making the pivot to becoming an as-a-service company. “It’s what the customer wants,” says Docherty. “Customers are moving to an EaaS model for its agility. They want to be able to develop applications as quickly as possible. Getting apps into production is a long process in the traditional IT model. But EaaS allows people to cut the deployment cycle by 75%.”

The rise of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) made cloud more mainstream. But as Docherty says, “Only 30% of applications reside in the public cloud. This could move to 40%, but we don’t see it moving dramatically as everything doesn’t belong in the public cloud.”

Indeed, as 70% of apps and data must live in data centres and colocations for data gravity, latency, application dependency and regulatory compliance reasons, they lack the agility of the modern cloud experience.

In response to this, GreenLake brings cloud speed, agility, and an as-a-service model to transform businesses. “A lot of partners building cloud practices now, but if they’re only talking on an Azure or AWS practice, then they’re only dealing with the 30% of applications in the public cloud,” says Docherty. “With the addition of GreenLake, they can offer a more holistic application experience to the customer.”

“GreenLake is perhaps the most innovative service that HPE has taken to market,” says Dave Dunne, Westcoast Ireland, speaking to TechCentral.ie. Part of the IT Channel for over 30 years, Westcoast is a distributor that represents several key vendors, and has a strong relationship with HPE. “At a basic level we offer reseller partners, account management, credit limits and access to pricing and stock,” says Dunne. “For HPE, we offer the partners tech support to help build solutions for customers.”

For Dunne, the main draw of an EaaS offering is the choice it brings. “How can I deliver the best service and user experience while also delivering the best TCO and ROI? How do I best manage my data and apps and on which platform? Choice means providing customers with a hybrid approach to cloud that delivers the best of both worlds. It has all the benefits of an on-premises platform with control of security, latency along with data sovereignty. Combine that with the elasticity of public cloud, with capacity ahead of demand.”

While enhancing choice, as GreenLake is consumption-based it also helps eliminate complexity. It meters usage so users pay only for what they consume. “Traditionally, when buying a piece of infrastructure to run an application, businesses over-spec,” adds Docherty. “They build this huge overhead into their infrastructure. We build that overhead into the solution. You don’t pay for it upfront, but it’s there if you need it.” If more capacity is required, it can be supplied in minutes, with no upfront payments, no risk of overprovisioning, and compete control.

Further, with pay-per-use and financial flexibility for new ventures and business operations, it can help free up capital, and boost operational and financial flexibility for a business.

Still, Docherty is keen to emphasise that consumption economics is just one element of the service. GreenLake Central, an intuitive software platform, lets users rapidly deploy services, gain cost and compliance insights, and simplify management across their entire hybrid estate. “In centralising operations and insights across a hybrid estate, GreenLake allows users to get a unified view, monitor usage, cost performance, compliance and more.”

“GreenLake provides a platform to empower customers with both choice and control,” says Dunne. “Hybrid cloud delivers operational and financial advantages over both the traditional CapEx and public cloud offerings. GreenLake is the vehicle to deliver digital transformation utilising HPE’s bedrock of hybrid solutions such as dHCI, SimpliVity, Synergy and more.”

With an accessible point of entry, the service is suitable for a vast array of businesses. “GreenLake is a level playing field for partners of all sizes,” says Dunne. “Credit is not a consideration with GreenLake – HPE credit check the customer, not the partner so as a partner you are free to fish in a bigger pond.”

However, Westcoast first ensures that GreenLake is the right fit for the customer. “All successful engagement with customers is about understanding their business goals and drivers,” says Dunne. “GreenLake may not be the right fit for every customer, and it is our role to support partners in qualifying out customer opportunities.”

From those that have embraced, Dunne says feedback has been excellent. “GreenLake has been very well received by channel partners, service providers and ultimately the customers using GreenLake to deliver their infrastructure and hybrid cloud requirements,” says Dunne. “We have seen a considerable increase in demand for GreenLake workshops that enable our valued partners to build out a successful GreenLake strategy. There has been a significant increase in opportunities and successful deals brought to close.”

“GreenLake is built on growth,” says Dunne, adding that partners are growing by 25-50% year-on-year. “We offer a very rewarding rebate for partners who have a services status with HPE under their Partner Ready Services program and an annuity model that delivers recurring revenues and margins.”

With a 95% renewal rate with customers, Dunne says that while “It may be bold to say ‘a customer for life’, the global data shows that customers are extremely satisfied with GreenLake and the retention rate provides a stickability factor for partners.”

To learn more about HPE Partner Opportunities – contact dave.dunne@westcoastireland.ie


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