Hewlett-Packard has launched the enhanced HP P2000 G3 Modular Smart Array storage array, extending its offerings in a key area for its future product roll out. It specifically targets SMBs, and offers support for  VMware vStorageAPIs for Array Integration (VAAI) and  HP Insight Control Storage Module Manager for VMware vCenter Server, among other things.

“SMBs can now benefit from simplified deployment, configuration and oversight of virtual machines in VMware vSphere environments. With support in HP Insight Control Storage Module Manager for VMware vCenter Server, administrators can easily manage, as well as monitor, the servers, storage and networking of virtual machines through the VMware vCenter Server console.”

The new P2000 G3 MSA offerings come with several other benefits in addition to just expanded support. The time it takes to deploy VM is reduced by 73 percent  with initialization tasks offloaded to the MSA controller, and VMware server performance is increased  by offloading initialization and copy command processing. This also results in a notable reduction in SAN traffic and CPU cycles, coming along with a 64 speed increase in VM cloning within the array.

Data protection also comes with the bundle, coming in the form of local and remote controller-based snapshots. The P200 G3 MSA starts below $9,000 depending on the configuration.

Storage accounts for a big chunk of HP’s revenues, considering it’s the single largest player in the market. The acquisition of 3PAR last year greatly contributed to this position – an investment the company is doing a good job monetizing. The latest examples are Eni S.p.A. of Italy and the University of Hamburg, two of the newest HP storage customers.

Competition is not scarce in the storage industry, and other companies are gunning for HP’s customers. Among them is Dell, which recently acquired memory virtualization company RNA Networks.