The HPE Corner

It would be hard for many NonStop folks, particularly those from engineering and marketing, to overlook news coming from HPE of its renewed support of motor racing. This time it has to do with support for the Venturi Formula E-Team. Given how it is now the start of a new year, rife with anticipation for new and fresh ideas from HPE, it’s good to see HPE supporting something as cutting edge as Formula E and while there are bound to be plenty of motoring enthusiasts less than thrilled by the excitement Formula E generates among spectators – where are the big V8 and V12 exhaust notes? – it is perhaps the most relevant addition to the car racing calendar in quite a while.

According to the press release of December 5, 2018, from the management of Venturi Formula E VENTURI Formula E Team announces new technology partner: Hewlett Packard Enterprise , “For the FIA ABB Formula E Seasons 5-7, VENTURI Formula E Team will benefit from Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s expertise, transformational technologies, infrastructure and innovation, supporting critical team performance functions both on and off the track. Once implemented, the technology will further aid efficient team workflow and assist with flawless race execution.”

Furthermore, according to VENTURI, “HPE has a wealth of experience with the technical demands in motorsports including Formula 1, Formula E, Indycar and NASCAR, and success in implementing ground-breaking edge to cloud solutions.” In case you have forgotten all about it, at the ITUG Summit in Lisbon, 2003, there was a BMW Formula 1 car sponsored by then Compaq that had the amazing sounding V10, an engine configuration that was dominant all those years ago.

This is not the first year for Formula E and not the first time HPE has supported this format of motor racing. HPE Pointnext has supported DS Virgin Racing with their Formula E car, a regular participant inside the exhibition hall of HPE Discover events in recent times. The team’s racer, Sam Bird, even found time to talk to those HPE Influencers present for the coffee talk he attended. “Everything we do trackside at DS Virgin Racing revolves around data. The exciting stuff people see on TV and the performance of our team, it all comes from analyzing race data, the team from DS Virgin Racing told audiences. “Data analysis is critical on site, just because something worked at one track doesn’t mean it will work on the next one. Because Formula E races through city centers the tracks we race on differ hugely, so analyzing car data from both Free Practice sessions on Saturday morning is key.”

However, with this tie-in to the latest iteration of global formula racing, racing teams are turning to HPE support as their servers and services are being seen as having the potential to make a difference. According to Susie Wolff, Team Principal, VENTURI Formula E Team, “Races are won and lost on strategy which is why we are not only building the best possible team but we want the best possible technology and engineering partners as part of our journey. I’ve personally seen the HPE motorsport partnership in action, I know the real tangible technical benefits they can bring to a team and I am delighted that we have them on board as our Official Technology Partner. I also think that the scale of their commitment doesn’t just reinforce their belief in our team but also their appreciation for Formula E as a sport. HPE has also had the foresight to recognize that Formula E is a highly competitive environment for sustainable automotive and technological innovation and they want to be part of that momentum.”

Did you follow the sentiment obvious in the quotes coming from these teams? If you missed them then how about:

• Everything we do trackside at DS Virgin Racing revolves around data.
• Data analysis is critical on site.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s expertise, transformational technologies, infrastructure and innovation, supporting critical team performance.
• Races are won and lost on strategy … HPE has also had the foresight to recognize that Formula E is a highly competitive environment for sustainable automotive and technological innovation.

Data, data analysis, transformational technologies, and yes even won and lost on strategy! For the NonStop community it is imperative that HPE is seen communicating these messages to industry at large and when it comes to beefing up sales, it all starts with effective marketing and despite the naysayers, motor racing is still a highly visual communications vehicle (so as to speak). More importantly, you really don’t ever get a second chance in motor racing no matter the category or the level of program intensity. You just get that once chance – out on the track, competing. And in business this concept carries over. HPE and NonStop get that one chance to keep a system and network available and any outage is unacceptable in the mission critical world dependent on NonStop.

As we each head into our own program for 2019 it’s encouraging to see HPE prepared to put its reputation on the line. In so doing, it gains enormous global visibility for the company even as it solidifies the value of its brand. It will be interesting as 2019 plays out to see just how well HPE performs when it comes to selling the new portfolio of NonStop products but if any message can be seen from any of the above, as with racing cars, you leave nothing to chance and you put it all on the line each and every time your driver enters the circuit. Isn’t that what every NonStop user does 24 X 7?  And isn’t that what every NonStop user relies upon to ensure the business is sustained year round! When it comes to looking at our own strategies for success in 2019 are we as positive as HPE is about the benefits on offer when running NonStop? In case you missed it – race cars are running with support by HPE even as HPE is running its own IT with the support of NonStop!