Continuing its partnership with Docker, HPE will be delivering servers from its ProLiant line with Docker CS Engines pre-configured by default, the company announced on Monday. In a blog post, HPE said its HPE Docker Ready Server will be the industry’s first, and will help simplify Docker deployments.

Specifically, the HPE ProLiant DL360, DL380, and BL460 will have access to Docker CS Engines available as part of the standard configuration tools, the post said. The goal is to create a “one-stop-shop” where hardware, software, and support that all work with Docker can be purchased together.

In the post, HPE claims that none of its competitors have a container-ready server solution in the market currently. HPE also said in the post that people are drawn to the Docker ready server “because it provides a portable, flexible and secure platform of applications on top of the operating system, which can be moved from location to location, allowing fuller and more efficient utilization of the hardware.”

SEE: Containers, cloud, and how developers predict the future of enterprise tech

The Docker Ready Server and its complementary infrastructure portfolio were initially announced back in June, when HPE and Docker began their strategic partnership. The initial concept, as stated in the press release, was to push distributed apps and modernize the data center.

At the time the partnership was announced, the server was one of a few joint efforts listed, including:

  • Docker ready HPE Servers
  • Docker ready Converged and Composable HPE Systems
  • Joint go-to-market for Docker Datacenter
  • Enterprise-grade Docker support and consulting services

In addition to the ProLiant line, HPE and Docker plan to bring additional joint efforts in the HPE Apollo and HPE Cloudline server lines.

The question is whether or not this is a good move on HPE’s part. In general, containers are exploding–81% of organizations are planning on increasing their investment in container technology. And, much of that is driven by the popularity of Docker.

In June, around the same time that the partnership between HPE and Docker was announced, a ClusterHQ survey found that container usage had doubled in the enterprise, and 94% of respondents listed Docker as their primary container engine. And, though some have “whined” about Docker’s trajectory, that hasn’t seemed to slow the company down at all.

All in all, Docker is the container engine to beat, and HPE linking arms with Docker is a clear move toward the company setting itself up for future success in the data center market.

The 3 big takeaways for TechRepublic readers

  1. The HPE Docker Ready Server, originally announced in June, will soon begin shipping on the ProLiant series of HPE servers.
  2. The server is the first of many joint products that the pair of companies will be releasing, including the HPE Apollo and HPE Cloudline server, and others.
  3. HPE’s alliance with Docker strategically positions the legacy vendor to weather the changes that are being brought to the data center market through DevOps and other trends.