HPE unveils next-gen Nonstop Compute for mission-critical work

Hewlett Packard Enterprise has introduced two new additions to its HPE Nonstop Compute platform, targeting enterprises that require high availability and fault-tolerant solutions for business-critical applications.

The new entry-class HPE Nonstop Compute NS5 X5 and flagship HPE Nonstop Compute NS9 X5 platforms now offer hardware and networking enhancements such as greater memory capacity and increased interconnect bandwidth. Both solutions are equipped with Intel Xeon processors and are designed for use in sectors such as financial services, manufacturing and transportation, where system reliability and uninterrupted operations are paramount.

The HPE Nonstop Compute line is used by a range of organisations, including financial institutions, payment processors, retail merchants, manufacturing companies and transportation businesses, to support vital business operations. The platforms are specifically optimised for high levels of uptime and fault-tolerance, supporting applications like payment processing, fraud detection and smart manufacturing execution systems.

"Our customers rely on HPE Nonstop solutions to power mission-critical workloads," said Casey Taylor, General Manager, HPE Nonstop at HPE. "In fact, one of our auto manufacturing customers has been using HPE's fault-tolerant systems for more than 35 years without any unplanned downtime. With the launch of HPE Nonstop Compute NS5 X5 and NS9 X5, we are reinforcing our commitment to deliver an architecture designed for fault-tolerance and high performance so that our customers can scale their businesses and innovate with confidence."

The new platforms reflect advancements in processing power and system capabilities. HPE Nonstop Compute solutions now provide up to 15% more performance capacity by utilising the Intel Xeon processors. The NS5 X5 offers Intel Xeon Bronze 3400 series processors, while the NS9 X5 features Intel Xeon Gold 6400 series processors. Memory capacity has doubled, with up to 8 TB available for customers, increasing the resources available for high-volume transactions and data-intensive tasks.

The NS9 X5 platform also delivers 2.5 times more networking bandwidth compared to earlier models, with improved fibre channel connectivity enabling faster transaction processing and more efficient multi-plant integrations in manufacturing. This increased bandwidth and connectivity are intended to result in quicker insights for smart manufacturing execution systems.

To support ongoing migration and scalability, the NS9 X5 is compatible with the previous two generations of HPE Nonstop Compute solutions, allowing enterprises to add new servers and maintain multi-generation compute configurations without downtime. This feature is aimed at supporting business requirements for seamless capacity expansion.

An accompanying operating system update introduces enhancements that include support for multi-factor authentication (MFA), which facilitates compliance with regulatory standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and SOC 2 auditing procedures.

Designed for sectors where operational continuity is essential, HPE Nonstop Compute platforms are used in environments such as car rental companies managing tens of thousands of daily reservations and financial services organisations processing card payments, ATM transactions and core banking functions. According to HPE, six of the top 10 full-service global retail banks use the Nonstop platform for retail card and high-volume payments and for other fundamental banking activities.

The new solutions are underpinned by HPE's support services, which offer migration assistance and engineering expertise to help businesses move complex mission-critical workloads to the updated platforms. The HPE Nonstop Compute NS5 X5 and NS9 X5 models are available on a standalone basis or can be accessed through HPE GreenLake with an as-a-service consumption model.

IDC classifies HPE Nonstop solutions as AL4 systems, recognising them for uptime levels of 99.999% or 99.9999%. The portfolio's architecture comprises a full-system cluster, operating system services and database functionality, with the intention of minimising downtime and maximising reliability for business processes.