[Vms.sig-hu] HP Pearl - ServerWatch - Hardware Today: HP Server Snapshot by Drew Robb - Ok for external use (fwd)

[Fodor Zsuzsa]

---------- Továbbított levél ----------
Dátum: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 14:01:06 -0500
Feladó: Skonetski, Susan <susan.skonetski at hp.com>
Címzett: Skonetski, Susan <susan.skonetski at hp.com>
Tárgy: HP Pearl - ServerWatch - Hardware Today: HP Server Snapshot 
by Drew Robb - Ok for external use

Dear Distribution lists,

Please make sure to visit the web site but I have enclosed the article
this articles has some very nice and useful information.

Warm regards,
Sue


http://www.serverwatch.com/hreviews/article.php/3565826

November 21, 2005
Hardware Today: HP Server Snapshot 
By Drew Robb 


The big news from HP the past six months has been the roll-out of
dual-core servers and the continuation of efforts to streamline its
server platforms. Hot on the heels of the consolidation of AlphaServer
and HP9000 into the Integrity line, HP followed up this summer with the
transition of NonStop from PA-RISC to Itanium 2 on Integrity. 

"NonStop has been mainstreamed onto Integrity-based hardware," 
says
Randy Meyer, director of product technology and strategy for HP 
NonStop.
"This reduces HP's portfolio to two server platforms - ProLiant and
Integrity." 

ProLiant Progress 

HP has embraced dual-core technology full bore - particularly among its
ProLiant servers running dual-core AMD Opteron processors. Since
introducing the ProLiant DL585 and DL145 in May, HP added the DL385 
and
three Opteron-based dual-core blades. 

"We are seeing broad-based adoption of dual-core Opteron servers," 
says
Colin Lacey, director of platform marketing at HP. "More than half the
Opteron servers we ship are now dual core." 

The ProLiant makeover, however, is not limited to dual core. HP added
serial attached SCSI (SAS) to seven ProLiant models and incorporated a
smaller form factor hard drive - 2.5 inches instead of the traditional
3.5 inch drive. 


"2.5-inch hard drives will become the standard on all enterprise-class
ProLiant servers," says Lacey. "3.5-inch drives will still be available
on our entry-level products." 

HP touts the ProLiant DL 380 as the world's best-selling server. This 2U
machine is flexible enough to be used for a wide range of functions,
says Lacy, as a basic infrastructure server, an application server and
more. Moving up the server hierarchy, the ProLiant DL 585 is an
Opteron-based dual-core box (four processors times two cores) with up 
to
128 GB memory. Lacey think it is ideal for virtualization. The company
has also introduced dual-core blades. The ProLiant BL25p, for example,
is available as both a single- or dual-core Opteron system.

Integrity Matters

The Integrity server has come in for almost as many upgrades and 
shifts
as the ProLiant in recent months. In May, HP released the last of its
PA-RISC processors for HP NonStop. This effectively signals the end of
RISC/MIPS in the HP architecture. Moving forward, HP switched its
flagship Superdome server from PA-RISC to Itanium 2 on Integrity.
Customers have the capability of adding new Itanium 2 nodes to 
existing
RISC-based hardware and running both types of processors 
simultaneously.

"This enables users to get started with the transition to Integrity
without having to switch all at once," says Brian Cox, director of
server marketing, HP business critical servers. "They can add Itanium 2
processors to their existing PA-RISC gear." 

Virtualization enhancements under the Integrity VM (Virtual Machine)
moniker permit customers to run multiple copies of HP-UX, Linux, and
Windows on soft partitions. This extends down below the single-CPU 
level
(i.e., running more than one operating system instance on one CPU). 

In addition, HP extended the range of OpenVMS on Integrity. At the 
start
of the year, it successfully ported OpenVMS from AlphaServer to low-end
Integrity servers. Now OpenVMS systems are available all the way up to
Superdome class. Like NonStop customers, those not yet on Integrity 
can
add Itanium nodes into their Alpha clusters. 

Integrity blades, too, have come on the market. HP just released the
Integrity BL60p running HP-UX. It uses the same chassis as HP ProLiant
blades, so both can function side by side. 

To make the Integrity platform even more attractive, HP has placed
considerable emphasis on the cooperation of ISVs. The company added
1,500 applications per year to Integrity in the past two years. This
year it should add more than 2,000, for a total somewhere north of
6,000. Cox boasts that this is twice as many as run on IBM POWER.
Meanwhile, OpenVMS has more than 500 applications ported to 
Integrity.
Early next year, Oracle will also be available on OpenVMS Integrity.
Once accomplished, that will unleash the next wave of ISV porting to 
the
platform.

According to Cox, the best-selling Integrity models - in terms of unit
shipments - are the RX2620 (2 socket) and the RX4640 (4 socket). 
When it
comes to total revenue, however, Superdome rules. Superdome is being
used extensively for server consolidation, Cox says, as it offers
customers the option of running HP-UX, OpenVMS, Windows, and Linux 
in
the same box. 

Taking the RISC Out of NonStop 

As mentioned above, NonStop is now part of the Integrity platform.
Current NonStop customers on PA-RISC will be able to buy add-on PA-
RISC
processors until 2008 if they wish. Alternatively, they can add Itanium
2 nodes. HP expects most of the user base to make the transition
rapidly.

"Most customers are buying Itanium processors rather than adding 
more
PA-RISC processors," says Meyer. "They can use existing I/O and
controllers and just add the latest processors." 

Stay tuned for dual core for the masses." - Randy Meyer, director of
product technology and strategy for HP NonStop 
 
When it comes to software, customers have two options. They can run
their object code as is and have it translated, or they can recompile it
to achieve better performance. Those intent on remaining on the old
platform as long as possible can receive HP support until 2113. As much
of its customer base uses NonStop for mission-critical applications,
says Meyer, it is impossible to demand a rapid changeover to NonStop
Integrity. Traditionally, NonStop has been strong in Online
Transactional Processing (OLTP), stock exchanges, credit card
processing, mobile phone networks, and other applications that require
fault tolerance and high reliability. Now, HP plans to aim it at a
broader section of the market. 

"Integrity offers a huge price/performance advantage that will propel
NonStop into new markets," says Meyer. "We have multiple customers
running Integrity NonStop as it takes availability up to seven 9's."

NonStop systems, however, are not off-the-shelf items. There are three
basic configurations, and each is custom configured for customers. The
triple modular redundancy (TMR) feature enables systems to achieve 
seven
9's in reliability. Meyer says 20 customers tested Integrity NonStop
during the pre-release phase. Every one of them is buying the system. 
In
addition, a major Japanese telecom company has rolled out dozens of
NonStop's across its network. 

Future Developments 

HP is currently in its "quiet period" before a major earnings
announcement. As a result, it is tight-lipped about future releases. But
a few items are known. In addition to the move to smaller form factor
hard drives and the ongoing migration of OpenVMS and NonStop 
customers
to Integrity, HP is introducing a full range of Intel dual-core servers.


HP's policy is to use the best of both worlds - AMD or Intel, and not
favor one over the other. Expect dual-core Intel processing to be
introduced in 1-, 2- and 4-way servers across the full spectrum of price
points. 

"Stay tuned for dual core for the masses," says Meyer. 


________________________________________________________________________________
INTERNETES NYELVTANULÁS! Tanulj ANGOLUL, NÉMETÜL kedvezményes áron a Médiabóval! 
3 Féle intenzitás; 3 Szint; Hanganyag CD-k; Ingyenes konzultáció! http://www.mediabo.hu/akcio/origo/jelentkezesi_lap.html