EMC Corporation has announced a comprehensive strategy for distributing, integrating and supporting the Apache Hadoop open-source software used for data-intensive distributed applications.

The company is introducing the world’s first purpose-built, high-performance, data co-processing Hadoop appliance – the Greenplum HD Data Computing Appliance. The appliance marries Hadoop with the EMC Greenplum Database, allowing the co-processing of both structured and unstructured data within a single, seamless solution.

In addition, EMC announced the availability of the Hadoop-based EMC Greenplum HD Community Edition and EMC Greenplum HD Enterprise Edition software. Combined with product certification by a dozen leading partners, these will enable technology innovations such as real-time data interaction, offer greater reliability, and make Hadoop much easier to deploy and use.

Apache Hadoop has rapidly emerged as the preferred solution for Big Data analytics across unstructured data. Organizations looking for opportunity in an ever-changing business environment are finding that Big Data analysis is the competitive advantage. Hadoop-based batch processing of unstructured and structured data at massive scale using commodity hardware has led to a profound change in analytics. By extracting the knowledge wrapped within unstructured machine-generated data, organizations can make better decisions that drive revenue, improve service and reduce costs.

The EMC Greenplum HD product family enables an organization to take advantage of Big Data analytics without the overhead and complexity that comes with the cumbersome tools and solutions on the market today. Available in two editions — Community and Enterprise — Greenplum HD software provides a complete platform including installation, training, global support and value add beyond simple packaging of the Apache distribution.

In addition to its Hadoop offerings, EMC has created an ecosystem with twelve companies offering business intelligence, data transfer and other technology capabilities. These companies are Concurrent, CSC, Datameer, Informatica, Jaspersoft, Karmasphere, Microstrategy, Pentaho, SAS, SnapLogic, Talend, and VMware. This breadth of support is testament to the value EMC brings to Hadoop.

EMC Global Services has developed an integrated family of professional services, support and training to help customers accelerate the adoption of data warehousing and business analytics using the EMC Greenplum Data Computing Appliance. This includes a new Enterprise Business Analytics Assessment Service that helps customers identify, deploy, optimize, and operationalize advanced analytics in support of their key business initiatives. In addition, EMC will assist customers’ data migration and consolidation efforts from their Oracle, Teradata and other existing data warehouse environments onto the EMC Greenplum DCA.

The EMC Greenplum HD Community Edition, EMC Greenplum HD Enterprise Edition and the EMC Greenplum HD Data Computing Appliance are expected to be available in the third quarter of calendar 2011.