HPE Greenlake and AWS provide edge solutions for improving the speed and security of users’ data processes. But which vendor takes a better approach toward edge computing?
Edge computing platforms enable organizations to bring their workload operations to the edge, to speed up the time to reach insights, and allow more security in their processes. Hewlett-Packard and Amazon Web Services provide edge solutions, but which one takes a better approach to businesses looking to move their operations to the edge? Read on to find out.
SEE: Don’t curb your enthusiasm: Trends and challenges in edge computing (TechRepublic)
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What is HPE GreenLake?
HPE GreenLake is a cloud-to-edge platform that enables users to produce, control and utilize their data quickly, with the security aspects of an on-premises IT infrastructure and the flexibility of a cloud.
By connecting data where it lives with the HPE-managed platform, users can benefit from the flexible consumption model, where they can generate insights from a unified self-service platform. The as-a-service software’s usage-based pricing model also adds to its scalability, and its management and security features are also useful aspects of this vendor.
What is Amazon Web Services?
Amazon Web Services provides edge networking services that allow users to move their data processing, storage and analysis close to the endpoint for higher security. AWS developed AWS Outpost to extend its services to the private and hybrid cloud space.
Now AWS for the edge extends its AWS infrastructure, services and secure edge computing capabilities to locations outside AWS data centers. By using AWS to deliver data through cloud locations, organizations can experience comprehensive perimeter protection, encryption and access controls to secure their edge networking workloads.
HPE GreenLake vs AWS: Feature comparison
| Features | HPE GreenLake | AWS |
|---|---|---|
| APIs | Yes | Yes |
| Access control | Yes | Yes |
| SaaS-based interface for virtual machines | Yes | Yes |
| Usage-based billing | Yes | No |
| Disaster recovery | Yes | Yes |
| Services for cloud workloads | No | Yes |
Head-to-head comparison: HPE GreenLake vs AWS
Hybrid cloud computing
HPE GreenLake tackles hybrid cloud computing by providing users with a cloud platform, and a compute foundation capable of unifying and transforming data from edge locations to the cloud. This means that users can have a data-first approach to their business operations with more speed and flexibility through the cloud compute infrastructure, meaning shorter time to value. HPE automates and transforms compute management processes with HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management for hands-off edge-to-cloud use. The service is delivered on a consumption pay-per-use basis, and users can choose from a range of configurations. It also grants users visibility over costs, governance and security.
AWS infrastructure and services let users leverage managed hardware deployed in locations outside AWS data centers, enabling AWS edge computing capabilities to areas like 5G networks, metro areas, on-premises sites and ruggedized devices. This means using AWS hybrid solutions across the cloud, on-premises and at the edge locations. With AWS edge networking services, users can leverage their global multi-service Points of Presence to transfer and transform their user-facing data securely. By utilizing the AWS edge computing services, users can integrate their edge-to-cloud services, including IoT, edge computing, AI, ML, robotics, analytics and storage capabilities. In addition, their services are provided using a more standardized billing structure where users are charged monthly based on their selected services.
Data insights
HPE GreenLake lets users connect to their organizational data and unify it within the platform to uncover valuable insights with analytics. The unified analytics platform provides in-place capabilities for data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and edge analytics. It connects and sources data and applications on-premises, at the edge and in public clouds. The Kubernetes-native unified, hybrid analytics and data lake platform reduce the cost of analytics by providing data analytics within the file system service. HPE GreekLake’s approach to globally unifying data extends access to data from all disparate locations.
With AWS, analysis is conducted closer to the endpoints where data is generated. Several AWS services support data analysis through edge computing. With AWS Outposts, users can run AWS analytics services on-premises and connect to AWS services in the cloud. With AWS IoT, users can leverage managed cloud services that connect with devices from the cloud, and provide data management and analytics services. AWS edge’s AI- and ML-enabled technologies enable users to reach predictions based on ML models and analyze their data at scale. Many AWS services also support data analysis by allowing communication between connected services to collect data and send it into AWS cloud, even when they don’t have an internet connection.
Security
HPE GreenLake comes with built-in security features and technologies. HPE will provide continuous remote monitoring to HPE GreenLake customer infrastructures and applications from core to cloud to edge. Users can track the regulatory and governance compliance of over 1,500 controls across the enterprise from their dashboard. Business event monitoring can also alert users when the system detects key rule violations within their multi-cloud environment. In addition, the system lets users create managed backups and leverage managed backup recovery services.
AWS lets users protect their data and operations from edge-to-cloud with AWS services at AWS edge locations for secure edge computing. By accessing the functionality of AWS Cloud Security, users can extend these security capabilities to their workloads at the edge, securing their edge environment, devices and endpoints. AWS has several security services that can be applied to the AWS edge locations, including AWS Identity and Access Management and Amazon Cognito. These can help users to control the accessibility of their edge applications and apply security mechanisms like encryption. Users can also use additional AWS security services to provide multiple security control protection for all layers of the data storage and processing operations.
Which edge computing platform should you use?
To decide whether HPE GreenLake or AWS would satisfy your edge computing needs better, start by considering the strengths of each vendor and the use cases they would best suit.
Choose HPE GreenLake if you value:
- A scalable consumption-driven IT infrastructure with a usage-based billing model
- Services to expand functionality for users of third-party on-premises servers or cloud platforms
- An edge computing solution that integrates easily with HPE equipment and services
Choose AWS if you value:
- Integrated AWS cloud stack services for workloads existing both on-premises and within the public cloud
- A more standardized monthly billing structure
- An edge computing solution that integrates easily with AWS applications and services
While HPE GreenLake and AWS edge services can help you transform your data operations with more latency and security, assessing the areas that the vendors excel in can help you decide which product contains the features you prioritize most in an edge computing platform.