Hitachi Data Systems Announces Global Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2012

Hitachi Data Systems Corporation (HDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today announced broad support for the new release of Microsoft Windows Server 2012. Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform (VSP), Hitachi Unified Storage (HUS), and Hitachi Compute Blade are now fully certified with full support for the Windows Server 2012 operating system. Windows Server 2012 gives HDS and Microsoft customers an enterprise infrastructure to quickly deploy and host Microsoft Windows and Linux applications. Hitachi Data Systems and Microsoft have worked together on this endeavor since early 2010 to ensure the best possible user experience with full service and support for enterprise data center deployments.

“Windows Server 2012 is one of the most significant releases from Microsoft to date,” said Jim Beckman, vice president, Alliances, Hitachi Data Systems. “With leading information technology solutions from HDS and Microsoft Windows Server 2012, customers can now host and manage Microsoft application deployments in an always-on environment. Our customers have already started deploying Windows Server 2012 in their production IT environments with plans for large-scale deployments for their Microsoft Windows and Linux applications.”

“Windows Server 2012 was designed and built around the cloud. It offers customers advanced technology and the ease of use that comes with familiar Microsoft products,” said Mike Schutz, general manager, product marketing, Windows Server and Tools, Microsoft Corporation. “We’re excited about Hitachi Data Systems support of Windows Server 2012 for enterprise customers. We expect that HDS expertise and reliability will help our customers realize demonstrable value from deploying Windows Server 2012.”

About HDS Support for Windows Server 2012
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 sets the foundation for Hitachi solutions built on Microsoft Private Cloud Fast Track. The solutions combine Hitachi compute and storage with industry-standard network infrastructure and Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V and System Center 2012 software. These solutions provide seamless integration with System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 with transparent live migration of virtual machines. They also support compute and storage resource for quick provisioning of virtual machines with full support for the System Center Orchestrator 2012.

Scalability of Microsoft Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V and Microsoft clustering allows HDS to deliver support up to 64 nodes and thousands of virtual machines in Hitachi infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) cloud offerings for today’s most demanding environments. Microsoft Private Cloud Fast Track offerings are now even more compelling with the ability to scale to hundreds of terabytes with full performance and availability, powered by the Hitachi infrastructure. Microsoft applications can migrate between virtual machines in the same data center or across data centers with zero service disruption, broadly enabling mission critical application support on the x86 platform.

About the HDS and Microsoft Relationship
Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Data Systems and Microsoft have a long-standing relationship that has delivered mission-critical solutions to customers around the world. Hitachi solutions that support Microsoft applications include Hitachi Compute Blade, Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform, the industry’s leading storage virtualization platform for enterprise data centers, Hitachi Unified Storage, and Hitachi Storage Cluster for Windows Server Hyper-V, an end-to-end server-to-storage virtualization solution.