HPQ: HP Increases Server Control, Power Efficiency with Latest Dual-core Technology

HP announced that its portfolio of servers and server blades will include models powered by the latest AMD Opteron™ processors using dual-core technology.

The HP ProLiant and HP BladeSystem servers, using Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors, enhance power and cooling efficiency while improving system performance by up to 15 percent.(1) “Quad-core” ready, the servers also help protect the IT investments of customers planning to transition to multi-core technologies.

Offering customers enhancements in key areas such as management, networking, storage and virtualization, the servers incorporate AMD Opteron 2000 and 8000 Series processors, DDR2 memory technology and small form factor disk drives.

HP is the No. 1 vendor of x86 servers worldwide and the leading provider of AMD Opteron processor-based server and blade systems.(2)

“HP has set the standard in offering customers choice and systems innovation for industry-standard x86 platforms that improve data center operations and business efficiency,” said James Mouton, senior vice president and general manager, Industry Standard Servers, HP. “With today’s expansion of our x86 portfolio, our customers are well-positioned to reduce their total cost of ownership while supporting their most demanding application environments.”

HP systems approach drives customer value

Designed for performance and virtualization, HP’s balanced system approach maximizes dual-core processor performance today with room for the transition to quad-core in the future. To help increase total system performance for critical applications and virtual server environments, recent architecture enhancements include new HP Smart Array RAID controllers, multifunction networking and increased memory capacity.

The servers will use small form factor Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) disk drives, eliminating the need for customers to make multiple drive transitions while simplifying system management needs. The new drives consume half the power of larger models, while improving storage performance and reliability.

In addition, HP continues to simplify infrastructure management with high-speed “lights out” remote access with the Integrated Lights-Out 2 management processor and the new HP ProLiant Essentials Server Migration Pack: Physical to ProLiant edition. The migration pack offers existing x86 customers a straightforward, point-and-click process to simplify the transition to new platforms. Both offerings support HP’s Unified Infrastructure Management strategy and are easily managed through the HP Systems Insight Manager platform.

“In addition to delivering servers that set high standards for power efficiency and control in the enterprise, HP is working with AMD to offer solutions optimized for virtualization, and the results are impressive,” said Marty Seyer, senior vice president, Commercial Segment, AMD. “The AMD Opteron processor-based HP ProLiant DL585 has become one of the preferred choices for virtualization among Wall Street IT customers. With a broad array of proven servers and server blades based on Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors, HP and AMD are delivering what data center managers crave most – predictability and stability with quad-core ready systems that will offer a consistent thermal envelope as they make the transition from dual- to quad-core in 2007.”

The new x86 processor-based HP ProLiant and HP BladeSystem servers featuring the Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors include the HP ProLiant DL385 G2 and DL585 G2 rack-optimized servers and the HP ProLiant BL25p G2, BL45p G2, BL465c and BL685c server blades. The BL465c and BL685c server blades are HP’s first AMD Opteron processor-based platforms for its breakthrough c-Class blade architecture announced on June 14. Further, the new BL685c is the BladeSystem c-Class version and sister product of the industry’s best-selling 4P blade, the BL45p.

AMD Opteron processor-powered HP Workstations

Since its introduction last year, the HP xw9300 Workstation, featuring the AMD Opteron processor, has been recognized and trusted by customers with intensive computing demands for its powerful performance and enhanced visualization capabilities.

HP will continue its commitment to provide workstation customers with the latest in technology innovation and computing performance based on the Next-Generation AMD Opteron 2000 Series processor architecture.

HP BladeSystem partner program gains momentum

The HP BladeSystem Solution Builder Program, which connects hundreds of leading independent software and hardware vendors, systems integrators and value-added resellers to build and deliver tools to server blade customers, announced a solution for Oracle® Real Application Clusters 10g and Red Hat Enterprise Linux for both current and forthcoming BL25p and BL45p server blades.

The solution offers customers scalability and high availability by running packaged or custom applications unchanged in a cluster of server blades. In addition, customers can add or remove a server blade to the cluster without taking users offline.

To deliver the Oracle 10g RAC solution to customers, new channel partners joining the Solution Builder Program include Agilysys, Lilien Systems, Logicalis, Melillo Consulting and Virtus Partners. In total, the program’s membership now exceeds 115 companies.

Pricing and availability
The dual-core HP ProLiant DL145, DL385, DL585, BL25p, BL45p, BL465c and BL685c are expected to be available later this year. Pricing will be available then.

More information on HP ProLiant servers and HP BladeSystem technology is available at www.hp.com/go/proliant and www.hp.com/go/bladesystem, respectively.

More information on the HP BladeSystem Solution Builder Program is available at www.hp.com/go/solutionbuilder.