Scale Computing has shipped a “tiny form factor” edge computing appliance for use in Internet of Things and other solutions at remote settings where space is extremely limited but availability requirements remain high.
Available now, the HE150 is the latest addition to Scale’s HC3 Edge family of hyperconverged infrastructure devices. The low-power unit features a new technology called HC3 Edge Fabric that saves businesses money by allowing them to access edge networks without assistance from a backplane network switch.
Based on an Intel NUC microcomputer and about the size of three stacked smartphones, the HE150 is designed to be easily deployed in almost any location, and doesn’t require a server rack or closet. Users can cluster the product in scale-out groups of three or more to meet increased capacity requirements and provide failover redundancy.
Pricing for the new system begins at $5,000 MSRP for a three-node cluster.
“A growing number of distributed organizations require infrastructure at the edge of the network, specifically at sites where there are limited IT staff available,” said Jeff Ready, Scale’s CEO and co-founder, in prepared remarks. “With edge computing on the rise, organizations are requiring solutions that can fit small footprint requirements with robust application performance, while still being affordable, efficient and simple to manage remotely. This is why we created our newest HE150 appliance, making edge computing a financially viable and practical option for more organizations. Our ability to deliver HCI technology in a smaller form factor and lower price point is making edge computing capabilities and resources more accessible to many organizations.”
Equipped with all-flash NVMe storage, the HE150 includes disaster recovery functionality and integrated data protection, along with support for non-disruptive rolling software and firmware upgrades.†
The system runs on Scale’s HC3 Edge software. In a parallel announcement, Scale disclosed that third-party hardware makers can now license that platform for use on Intel NUC-based devices of their own.†
In addition, Lenovo will soon offer HC3 Edge software as an option for its Smart Edge portfolio of fan-less, small form factor PCs. Scale and Lenovo jointly introduced an HC3 Edge Solution in February for use at retail, banking, and industrial sites with little to no onsite IT support. Schneider Electric announced an agreement to embed Scale’s HC3 Edge for retail solution in its EcoStruxure Micro Data Centers last month.
Today’s launch comes six months after the debut of Scale’s HE500 family of HC3 Edge appliances. Larger and more powerful than the HE150, those devices list at $16,500 and up for three nodes.
With IoT adoption skyrocketing, demand for edge-optimized infrastructure is rising rapidly as well. Roughly 44% of companies with IoT solutions process at least some of the data those systems produce on edge computing hardware at present, according to Strategy Analytics, which expects that figure to reach 59% by 2025.
