On 19 November, Hitachi Vantara announced the launch of Hitachi iQ, a suite of trusted data infrastructure solutions built for modern AI systems, in partnership with the NVIDIA HGX platform. This new offering integrates NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and AI software with Hitachi Vantara’s expertise in data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management, creating an end-to-end solution tailored for industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing.
Hitachi iQ is designed to enhance the deployment, operations, and maintenance of AI systems by providing scalable, fast, and resilient infrastructure. It addresses key AI use cases such as large language models, inferencing, model training, analytics, digital twins, and image processing. This innovation meets the increasing demand for enterprise-ready AI systems, as highlighted by a recent ESG Research study showing that while 97% of organisations prioritise generative AI (GenAI), only 37% feel their infrastructure is well-prepared to implement it.
Addressing AI challenges with advanced features
The Hitachi iQ solution tackles common hurdles in AI adoption, such as infrastructure limitations and data quality issues, with several advanced features:
- Optimised data processing: Hitachi iQ saturates GPUs with data for faster insights, supported by distributed file systems for more effective pattern identification and enhanced learning from diverse datasets.
- NVIDIA HGX integration: It combines NVIDIA H100 and H200 Tensor Core GPUs with the NVIDIA AI Enterprise platform, enabling end-to-end cloud-native development and deployment of GenAI applications.
- Efficient architecture: The zero-copy architecture eliminates unnecessary data transfers between storage silos, improving both AI economics and sustainability.
- Cutting-edge technology: Powered by AMD EPYC processors, PCIe Generation 5 NVMe drives, and NVIDIA ConnectX-7 networking, Hitachi iQ delivers extreme performance for high-demand AI and high-performance computing workloads.
The solution also integrates high-density object storage, allowing businesses to scale compute and storage resources independently to accommodate fluctuating data types and sizes.
Industry leaders endorse Hitachi iQ
Jason Hardy, chief technology officer for artificial intelligence at Hitachi Vantara, emphasised the company’s commitment to AI innovation, stating: “Our customers are looking for advanced solutions to meet the ever-evolving demands of AI, and the Hitachi iQ offering with NVIDIA HGX is the latest example of how we are at the forefront of AI innovation.”
NVIDIA’s Shar Narasimhan, director of data centre GPUs and AI, added: “Pairing NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platform with the deep industrial expertise of Hitachi Vantara helps address the growing demand for enterprise-grade AI infrastructure and applications, delivering high-performance computing capabilities for AI workloads to enable faster training, fine-tuning, and inferencing.”
Allen Lee, managing director of Genesis Networks Pte Ltd, also highlighted the solution’s value for the education sector, stating: “Optimised to drive industry-specific results from a partner with the experience to help us make it happen, that’s what we see in Hitachi iQ.”
Expanding the Hitachi iQ portfolio
Since its introduction in July 2024, the Hitachi iQ portfolio has evolved to include a range of AI-ready solutions and services. These include an AI Discovery Service, which helps businesses identify valuable AI use cases, assess data readiness, and create strategic roadmaps for successful AI implementation. With flexible consumption models, Hitachi iQ delivers improved on-premises performance while maximising return on investment (ROI).
Leveraging decades of expertise in sectors like rail, energy, and manufacturing, Hitachi Vantara continues to bridge IT infrastructure with business applications, empowering organisations to stay ahead in the rapidly growing AI landscape.
