HPE targets cloud partners with on-prem infrastructure consumption model

Vendor expands GreenLake Flex Capacity into the channel

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has brought its GreenLake Flex Capacity offering to the channel, allowing partners to sell on-premise infrastructure via a consumption model.

GreenLake is the umbrella brand HPE gives to its as-a-service offerings, while Flex Capacity gives customers the option to pay for just what they consume.

The two concepts were brought together by HPE last year, and are now available to the vendor's channel partners.

HPE's GreenLake channel lead Max Ramon told CRN that the new offering brings together hardware and software into one bundle for the first time.

"HPE has been selling Flex Capacity for about eight years now, and for the last four years we've been selling it in the channel," he explained.

"The way we have been selling it in the past has been a two-piece part - hardware and software as separate transactions and aggregating them at the channel layer.

"We're now aggregating them in the company for simplicity's sake and cost advantage. Partners can add margin on top of it to resell and also their services on top as well."

HPE has talked up the improved margins available to partners through the initiative, with Ramon also claiming that the rebates are "larger than any rebate we are currently paying".

Roman added that HPE is targeting cloud specialists with the offering.

"It's definitely a subset of partners," he said.

"It's value-added resellers that understand or have sold either public cloud or hybrid cloud, or have consulted on the right workloads for customers.

"The key is that partners understand the right customer profile, which is customers that have growing needs for hybrid IT, and understanding when their workloads are appropriate for the public cloud, when they're appropriate for on-premise and how to manage that whole solution.

"The partners that can help customers navigate that are the right ones to take this forward."