The HPE Storage Innovation Timeline
How HPE storage architecture has evolved from ASIC-based 3PAR controllers to massively parallel NVMe-oF scale-out systems for the AI era.
The InServ Foundation
HPE acquired 3PAR in 2010 for $2.4 billion — outbidding Dell in one of enterprise storage's most significant acquisitions. The 3PAR InServ platform, built on a purpose-designed ASIC and RAID-less wide-striping architecture, delivered the autonomic thin provisioning, sub-LUN tiering, and deduplication capabilities that made it an industry leader. The T-Class and S-Class provided a unified scale-out/scale-up SAN foundation that influenced modern all-flash design.
3PAR StoreServ — The All-Flash Transition
The HPE 3PAR StoreServ family evolved through the 7000 to 20000 series — scaling from departmental all-flash to enterprise fabric-class storage. HPE also offered StoreVirtual (based on the LeftHand acquisition), a VSA-based storage solution for VMware environments. 3PAR StoreServ introduced Persistent Checksum (data integrity verification end-to-end), Peer Persistence (stretch cluster zero-RPO failover), and Peer Motion (non-disruptive data mobility between arrays).
HPE Primera — Cloud-Connected Storage
HPE Primera represented a significant architectural step forward from 3PAR — introducing HPE InfoSight predictive analytics (cloud-connected AI management) as a core platform feature rather than an add-on. Primera delivered 100% data availability guarantee backed by HPE SLA, predictive storage health monitoring, and unified block and file services. The 630 and 650 models covered mid-range to high-end enterprise workloads. Primera was positioned as the successor to 3PAR StoreServ for mission-critical and performance-sensitive workloads.
HPE Alletra — Data Services Platform
The Alletra family introduced HPE's Data Services Cloud Console — a SaaS management platform enabling cloud-like storage operations on-premises. Alletra 6000 was built on Nimble Storage NVMe architecture, Alletra 9000 on HPE Primera architecture. Together they provided a unified cloud-managed storage experience. The Alletra family also introduced pay-per-use consumption via HPE GreenLake for Storage, enabling organisations to consume enterprise storage as an operational expense.
Alletra Storage MP — Scale-Out AI Era
The Alletra Storage MP represents the current pinnacle of HPE's storage evolution — a massively parallel, scale-out architecture purpose-built for the AI data era. The B10000 (block) delivers up to 14.2 million IOPS and 14.4 TB/s bandwidth with NVMe-oF connectivity, scaling from 4 to 32+ nodes. The X10000 provides scale-out NAS and object storage for unstructured data and AI datasets. Both are managed through a unified interface and consumed via GreenLake. With no announced end-of-life, it is HPE's strategic storage platform for the coming decade.
Upgrade Paths to Alletra Storage MP
Common migration journeys from legacy HPE storage platforms to the current Alletra Storage MP architecture.
Frequently Asked Questions — HPE Storage Evolution
What was HPE 3PAR and how does it relate to Alletra?
HPE 3PAR was the enterprise SAN storage platform that HPE acquired in 2010 for $2.4 billion. Built on a purpose-designed ASIC with wide-striped RAID architecture, 3PAR StoreServ became the foundation of HPE's enterprise storage portfolio for over a decade. The 3PAR architecture evolved into HPE Primera, and the core IP and management innovations then fed into the HPE Alletra platform. The Alletra 9000 was architecturally based on Primera, and the current Alletra Storage MP B10000 extends the scale-out philosophy of 3PAR into the NVMe and AI era.
What is the difference between HPE Primera and HPE Alletra?
HPE Primera (600, A630, A650) was launched in 2019 as the successor to 3PAR StoreServ, introducing HPE InfoSight predictive analytics as a native platform feature and providing a 100% data availability SLA. HPE Alletra was launched in 2021 and introduced HPE's Data Services Cloud Console — a SaaS management platform — and the ability to consume storage via HPE GreenLake pay-per-use. The Alletra 9000 was architecturally derived from Primera. Alletra represented a shift from hardware-focused positioning to a cloud-managed service model.
What is HPE Alletra Storage MP?
HPE Alletra Storage MP is HPE's current flagship storage platform, launched in 2023. The MP (Multi-Protocol) designation reflects its ability to serve block (B10000), file, and object workloads. The B10000 is a massively parallel scale-out block storage system delivering up to 14.2 million IOPS and 14.4 TB/s bandwidth with NVMe-oF protocol support. It scales from 4 to 32+ nodes and is managed through HPE Data Services Cloud Console. It is the strategic platform for enterprise, AI, and cloud-native workloads. No end-of-life has been announced.
How does HPE Peer Motion help with storage migration?
HPE Peer Motion is a non-disruptive data migration technology available on 3PAR StoreServ and Primera platforms. It allows live migration of volumes from one HPE array to another without taking applications offline. For organisations migrating from legacy 3PAR or Primera to Alletra Storage MP, Peer Motion eliminates the need for scheduled downtime windows — the migration occurs transparently in the background while production workloads continue running.
Can Servnet help migrate from 3PAR or Primera to Alletra Storage MP?
Yes — Servnet is an authorised HPE reseller and can assist with the entire migration journey from legacy HPE storage platforms to Alletra Storage MP. We provide pre-migration assessment, sizing and architecture design for the Alletra MP, procurement and delivery, and post-migration support. Whether you are moving from 3PAR StoreServ, HPE Primera, or another HPE platform, our team can design a migration path that minimises risk and downtime. Contact sales@servnetuk.com or call 0800 987 4111.
Ready to Modernise Your HPE Storage?
Servnet is an authorised HPE reseller. Our storage team can assess your current platform and design a migration path to Alletra Storage MP — the current flagship for AI-era enterprise workloads.
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