Hardware maker Hewlett-Packard updated its private cloud portfolio according to a blog post by Brad Kirby, the manager of HP’s Microsoft relations. Specifically the largest VirtualSystem stack, the 6,000-virtual machine sized VS3 edition, now comes with new technologies.

First and foremost, the all-in-one private cloud supports System Center 2012, Microsoft’s newly launched hypervisor management platform which supports both Hyper-V and, more notably, VMware’s competing offering.  It is integrated into VirtualSystem via HP software.

“This is where HP Insight Control for System Center comes into the picture,” writes Kirby.  “HP Insight Control for System Center links the server and storage management functions of Insight Control with the OS and application management capabilities of Microsoft System Center, giving administrators the end-to-end view that they require.  With HP Insight Control for System Center version 7.01, HP now supports System Center 2012.”

The updated VS3 solution runs on the ultra-efficient ProLiant Gen8 servers, and is powered by 3PAR F400 storage and Virtual Connect FlexFabric.

Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft are showcasing their latest brainchild at the Microsoft Management Summit. Kirby says that about 42,000 virtual machines are expected to be fired up by clients testing the demo configuration over the course of the gathering, with an estimated average I/O per second of 30 to 50 per host.

Bundling up cloud infrastructure solutions is nothing new.  EMC has moved in the same direction less than two weeks ago when it announced VSPEX.  One of the main differences setting the storage giant’s cloud architecture apart from others is that it was developed with partners in mind, rather than the goal of eliminating the middle-man in these sort of transactions. VSPEX is also quite open with its multi-vendor configurations (Microsoft is one of the key partners).