HP FlexFabric

Network teams are faced with a race to build out data center network capacity and to effectively provision connectivity at an increasing speed. To keep pace, IT organizations need a network architecture that is more coherent, flexible, and agile.

With FlexFabric, HP is creating a new balance by combining the best standards-based networking technologies with a new modular architecture that optimizes the full range of virtualization capabilities while meeting business requirements for both low total cost of ownership, faster time-to-service, and critical requirements for IT governance and compliance.

For the first time, network connections and capacity can be fully virtualized from the edge to the core, enabling businesses to deliver ‘network-as-a service’, wire connections once and to freely move applications across or between servers or even across or between data centers.

HP will deliver the FlexFabric vision by converging the technology, management tools and partner ecosystems of the HP ProCurve and Virtual Connect network portfolios into a virtualized fabric for the data center.

Key Benefits

Improved business agility: faster time to service and higher resource utilization through dynamic enablement of pre-provisioned network resources that match end-user and business demands.
Predictable performance: support for the most demanding application workloads with modular scalability that connects thousands of server and storage devices in a flat, converged fabric design
Breakthrough cost structures: reduced capital and operational costs with assured investment protection by way of simplified and consolidated server, storage and network connectivity using industry-standard building blocks

How it works

HP FlexFabric can connect 1000’s of servers to a virtualized, high performance, low-latency, multi-protocol network. With network intelligence closer to the server edge, FlexFabric dramatically simplifies today’s hierarchical and inflexible network designs and improves performance and utilization. This network fabric is pre-provisioned and staged for on-demand enablement. Administrators make this resource available by pre-defining a range of connection-based services, which are deployed to server or virtual machines on-demand to match specific performance requirements. Connections are automatically migrated as servers or virtual machines are moved. This unique, “design-once, replicate many” approach enables customers to easily adapt connections and performance to deliver network as a service and meet changes in workload demand.

FlexFabric delivers:

Flexible network resources to support diverse workloads

A highly scalable, flat network domain enables HP FlexFabric to deliver flexible provisioning, ultra low latency, high performance and fast workload mobility.

Integrated and Unified management for automated provisioning

and shift more intelligence closer to the server edge and away from the core. This approach is required to reduce the number of error-prone, or possibly conflicting, configuration steps that make change management time-consuming and costly in today’s IT. It would also enable more flexible automation and orchestration capabilities by coordinating connection design and management into a single cohesive system between network and system services.

An evolutionary path to a fully-virtualized data center network

With support for multi-vendor technologies and a modular design based on open, industry standards customers can flexibly realign existing solutions, vendors, and processes with FlexFabric technology, network management, and application deployment. Organizations can mix and match existing operational processes with new approaches using HP products to coordinate IT teams.

» ProCurve Networking
» Virtual Connect

What the HP experts are saying

Listen to the HP experts discuss the latest trends in networking and HP FlexFabric as part of a new monthly podcast series. We’ll also respond to questions that customers are asking, so type your questions into the comment section at the bottom of this page.


Mike Kendall: Manager, HP BladeSystem Virtual Connect	Lin Nease: Direct, HP Networking Technology & Strategy	Gary Thome: Chief Strategist, HP Infrastructure Software & Blades	Matt Zanner: Director, HP Networking Data Center Solutions