Hewlett-Packard announced on Thursday that it has revamped its HP Integrity server line and now offers more powerful models equipped with dual-core Intel Itanium Montecito processors. Many of the largest businesses in the world use HP's Integrity servers and more than 9,000 third-party software products support the platform.
HP is tapping the power of the new dual-core Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) Itanium Montecito processor to offer mainframe-caliber high availability with HP-UX 11i, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows, Linux or OpenVMS operating environments in the Integrity rx6600 and rx3600 servers.
Ken Surplice, business critical servers HP EMEA, told CRN: “HP’s mission is to simplify computing, and our Integrity servers have been growing over the years to be a range of management tools and hardware that work across multiple operating systems.
“Most servers spend two-thirds of their time idling,” he said. “But with this refresh we are able to deliver more flexibility and capacity to customers. We can help them to put the resource where they need it, but on a lower power consumption because of the dual-core processor.”
Surplice added that the products should appeal to VARs because they allow for “an easy transition” from existing servers and offer high-level performance at entry-level prices.
“The mid-market potential for partners is huge,” he claimed. “The HP installed base is a large mid-market opportunity for the channel and we have established a clear leadership over our rivals in terms of value. It is also an easy way for our channel partners to engage with new customers in that space.”
Surplice added that the virtualisation capability of the servers is also a crucial selling point.
“We can now match the services with all of the proven virtualisation previously available only on mid-range and Superdome servers,” he said.
Microsoft has chosen Integrity as a key component of its business strategy of Risc replacement with the Windows platform.
Bob Muglia, senior vice-president server and tools business at Microsoft, said: “Today, customers are using HP Integrity servers, the Windows platform and SQL Server 2005 for the highest-end, mission-critical business applications, that provide solutions never before available on the Windows platform.”
