The company's SAN Virtualization Services Platform (SVSP) software allows enterprises to virtualize storage across multiple arrays, including platforms from other vendors. The software lets them combine many arrays into one virtual pool and move data across those arrays as needed.

SVSP 2.1, being introduced Tuesday, extends support for third-party platforms to several more products from IBM, EMC, Sun and SGI, as well as to NetApp's FAS6000 series and other platforms, and 3Par's InServ T400, T800 and E200. It also adds support for HP's own new EVA gear and MSA 2300.

Compared with a traditional array environment, an enterprise can manage three times as much storage capacity per administrator with SVSP 2.1, according to HP. The system allows for greater efficiency, too, with capacity utilization of 70 percent or more in a virtual pool, the company said.

Also on Tuesday, HP is updating its Data Protector Software. Through a virtual backup feature, the new software can reduce the space needed for a backup by as much as 95 percent, according to HP. In addition, the updated product now provides eight different methods for automating protection of VMware environments and makes it easier to use all those methods, the company said.

Storage virtualization can help enterprises realize the efficiency they seek from server virtualization, said Gartner analyst David Russell.