Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Hortonworks yesterday announced a strategic partnership to address enterprises’ big data needs.

The partnership is designed to accelerate Enterprise Apache Hadoop adoption by deeply integrating the Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP) with HP’s HAVEn big data platform.

Both companies plan to integrate their engineering strategies and deepen their existing go-to-market collaboration, according to Hortonworks.

HP also will certify analytic database software company HP Vertica with Apache Hadoop YARN, the architectural center of Hadoop 2.0.

“The ability to understand data and put it to effective use is now more crucial than ever,” HP Vertica General Manager Colin Mahony said in a prepared statement. “Hortonworks has demonstrated outstanding dedication and expertise in addressing the business and technology needs of its customers within this new era of information and data, and we look forward to partnering with the Hortonworks team to deliver innovative big data solutions to our customers.”

Martin Fink, HP’s chief technology officer, also will join Hortonworks’ board of directors as part of the agreement.

“Our partnership with Hortonworks exemplifies HP’s longstanding commitment to open source technology for the enterprise,” he said. “I’m excited to be able to partner with the Hortonworks leadership team to help them deliver flexible, tailored, open solutions to customers on the industry’s most powerful big data platform.”

HP provides a financial boost

HP has invested $50 million in the partnership to help address enterprises’ big data needs.

“A key element of this relationship includes a $50 million equity investment by HP in Hortonworks that was announced today and symbolizes the extent of our commitment to collaborate on addressing the business and technology needs of our customers and the broader big data marketplace,” Hortonworks Vice President of Corporate Strategy Shaun Connolly wrote in a blog post yesterday.

Connolly noted both companies are committed “to enabling Apache Hadoop as a comprehensive enterprise data platform delivered completely in open source.”

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