H3C and PAGASA: Building Climate-Resilient Forecasting with Digital Infrastructure

How Hyper-Converged Innovation Transformed Weather Forecasting in the Philippines

As climate change accelerates and natural disasters grow more unpredictable, the need for accurate, real-time weather forecasting has never been more critical. In the Philippines, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), plays a vital national role in monitoring atmospheric conditions and issuing early warnings to protect lives and livelihoods. Recognizing the limitations of its legacy systems, PAGASA partnered with H3C to modernize its forecasting infrastructure through a scalable, virtualized, and resilient Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) deployment.

From Legacy Bottlenecks to Future-Ready Resilience

Prior to this transformation, PAGASA’s forecasting operations relied on physical workstations that created single points of failure. System downtimes were frequent, and recovery processes were inefficient. The pandemic further exposed these vulnerabilities, as remote access was limited and staff had to be physically present at regional centers. Equipment lacked scalability, and GPU constraints hindered high-resolution simulations – essential for accurate forecasting. These challenges underscored the urgent need for a modern, agile infrastructure.

To address these issues, PAGASA implemented a digital infrastructure upgrade at two key locations: the Northern Luzon PAGASA Regional Service Division (NLPRSD) and the Mindanao PAGASA Regional Service Division (MPRSD). The objective was to build a highly available, virtualized computing environment capable of supporting intensive simulations, disaster recovery, and remote operations – all managed through a unified platform.

Delivering Resilience and Flexibility with H3C’s HCI Solution

The H3C deployment included eight UIS 3000 G5 hyperconverged nodes, high-performance S6520X and S5560 switches, R4700 enterprise servers, and MSR3610-X1 routers and 4G LTE modules for WAN redundancy. NVIDIA A10 GPUs with VGPU licenses enabled virtual machines to run high-resolution weather models and 3D visualization, significantly boosting forecasting accuracy.

This fully virtualized environment eliminated single points of failure, introduced Site Recovery Management (SRM) for seamless disaster recovery, and enabled dynamic resource scaling. It also reduced reliance on physical infrastructure and supported secure VPN access for Work-From-Home (WFH) operations – essential during emergencies or mobility restrictions. With centralized management and a unified ecosystem, PAGASA achieved simplified operations, enhanced flexibility, and a lower total cost of ownership.

The transformation delivered tangible results: improved forecasting performance, enhanced operational continuity, and increased system resilience. Remote access capabilities empowered staff mobility, while the scalable architecture ensured long-term adaptability. Collectively, these advancements have positioned PAGASA as a national model for how digital modernization can strengthen climate resilience and public safety.

A Benchmark for Public Sector Digital Transformation

PAGASA expressed high satisfaction with the project, citing H3C’s integrated solutions as both cost-efficient and technically superior to its initial multi-vendor approach. The project was delivered seamlessly, with H3C providing comprehensive support from planning and deployment to training and post-implementation assistance. Continued technical engagement after deployment reflects H3C’s long-term commitment to customer success.

By adopting future-ready infrastructure, PAGASA has become a regionally recognized benchmark for how scientific agencies can leverage digital innovation to enhance public service. Through H3C’s advanced HCI solution, the agency has improved its forecasting capability, operational agility, and disaster preparedness. The project highlights the importance of future-ready infrastructure in government services, especially in climate-vulnerable countries like the Philippines.

When the next super typhoon threatens Metro Manila’s 13 million residents, PAGASA’s forecasts won’t just be faster—they’ll be smarter, more accessible, and ultimately lifesaving. H3C is proud to power this transformation, because in the race against climate change, every byte of data and every second of warning counts. We remain committed to delivering innovative ICT solutions that build public safety, national development and long-term resilience worldwide.