HP Raises the Bar on Scalability with Industry's First Comprehensive Enterprise 8-Way Solution for NT Environments
Business Wire - December 02, 1997 18:05
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 1997--
HP NetServer LXr Pro8 System Achieves World's Best Windows-NT-based Server Results Running the SAP R/3 Sales and Distribution Benchmark
Fueled by customer demand for scalable NT enterprise server solutions, Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced the HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system, featuring an aggressive set of technologies and solutions that push the industry boundaries of scalability and high availability for Microsoft(R) Windows NT(R) environments.
"HP created a comprehensive solution to address requirements of today's enterprise customers," said Maria Cannon, general manager of HP's Enterprise NetServer Operation. "Our experience in the enterprise and NT-server markets, combined with our industry-leading products, high-availability solutions, service and support programs, and enterprise supply-chain capabilities, makes this the most complete solution announced to date."
The HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system has produced the world's best Windows NT-based system results on the SAP R/3 Sales and Distribution (SD) benchmark, supporting 1,600 SD benchmark users at an average dialog response time of 1.65 seconds with a total throughput of 494,000 dialog steps per hour(1).
ADVANCED SERVER TECHNOLOGIES PUT HP AT INDUSTRY FOREFRONT
HP applied a powerful set of advanced technologies to deliver the most comprehensive enterprise solution for NT environments. Through a space-saving, rack-mounted design, the HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system delivers more computing power density per square foot than its competitors, with up to four servers (32 CPUs) in a single 2-meter rack. The HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system is based on the new Adaptive Memory Crossbar technology, developed by Axil Computer Inc., which provides industry-leading scalability using today's Pentium(R) Pro processor technology.
Comparably priced to four-way systems, an HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system configured with two 1MB cache Pentium Pro 200MHz processors is expected to sell for about $30,000 (U.S.), including site preparation and installation. Volume shipments are expected to begin in January 1998.
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS PUSH AVAILABILITY TO NEW HEIGHTS
HP offers single- and multi-system availability solutions. HP's single-system solution reduces unplanned downtime with superior CPU temperature control through an advanced cooling-pipe design and optional redundant power cords with the HP rack enclosure. The HP NetRAID-3si I2O disk-array controller, together with the HP NetServer Rack Storage/8 or Fibre Channel mass storage deliver the widest range of choices for high-availability solutions.
The HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system is being certified for Microsoft Cluster Server for multiserver clustering environments. HP has simplified overall cluster management with HP ClusterView, which allows system administrators to manage both NT and UNIX(R) system clusters from a single console.
HP is providing a set of scalable services and support for Windows NT, including proactive and reactive services that attack the causes of system downtime. The suite of services features immediate-response hardware support with a commitment to repair a customer's HP NetServer system in less than six hours.
HP makes it easy to manage HP NetServer systems through its integrated-management strategy. HP TopTools integrates with such system-management platforms as CA's Unicenter TNG and HP OpenView. HP plans to integrate the newly acquired ManageX systems-management solution into the HP OpenView family to provide customers with a comprehensive enterprise solution for Microsoft Windows NT environments. These capabilities will help ensure that customers have the lowest possible administrative costs and the best-possible performance and service levels.
INDUSTRY-LEADING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPABILITIES FOR THE ENTERPRISE
HP, with its channel partners, is executing a supply-chain strategy to develop a set of enterprise-specific capabilities. HP is implementing the capability to ship fully integrated rack solutions to its enterprise customers. In a recent pilot program, a customer installation and configuration was completed in one hour. HP believes it is the only major PC-server vendor to date to have demonstrated this capability.
ABOUT HP
HP is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament and the 1997 Tournament of France. Selected for its technology and skills to support and manage mission-critical applications, HP will help create an information-management infrastructure for handling game-scoring; media centers; personnel accreditation; hotel information; and various ticketing, stadium, warehouse and back-office operations.
Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. It is the second-largest computer supplier in the world, with computer-related revenue in excess of $35.4 billion in its 1997 fiscal year. HP has 121,900 employees and had revenue of $42.9 billion in its 1997 fiscal year.
Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at hp.com .
HP NETSERVER SYSTEM CUSTOMER QUOTES AND RECOGNITIONS
"As we continue expanding the role of NT for mission-critical applications, such as Microsoft Exchange with thousands of users, scalability and maximum system uptime become fundamental requirements. HP has developed one of the industry's most complete clustering solutions, offering enterprise customers the high-availability and management solutions we require. Now with its new HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system, HP once again provides a superior platform that will provide the computing power we need now and in the future." -- Gary McDonnell, senior systems engineer, Global Financial Technology Services, NationsBank
"There is a demand for scalable NT-enterprise server solutions that enhance mission-critical computing environments. We chose HP systems for several reasons -- HP's commitment to Windows NT as an operating platform, HP's world-class service and support and HP's high-performance products. With the introduction of the new HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system, HP is continuing to provide reliable solutions that raise the bar for high-availability and scalability." -- Matthew Ghourdjian, Principal Technologist of Los Angeles Technology Group, Arthur Andersen
"HP understands what it takes to help its customers thrive in the enterprise by providing solutions that enable us to both increase performance and reduce total cost of ownership. As BarnesandNoble.com continues to expand its online presence, it needs technology that can grow along with it. With its new HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system, we're confident that HP will deliver the technology and scalability leadership that we're counting on." -- John Kristie, vice president, Internet Services, BarnesandNoble.com
"Our business depends on maximum system uptime -- if our servers are down, business stops. Therefore, reliability and high performance are critical. We rely on HP to provide products, services and support that meet our business needs. With its new HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system, HP is once again ahead of the game." -- Mike Valeri, manager of network computing, Reebok
"Snap-on Tools is a longtime HP customer because HP continues to provide our enterprise with computing solutions that incorporate investment protection with lasting value. HP has the ability to provide the products and expertise that help us bridge the gap between our UNIX system and NT environments with services and support to back them up. With HP's years of proven enterprise experience, it's no surprise that HP is the first to bring a complete 8-way solution to market for NT, and we plan to take advantage of that." -- Dennis Leitner, senior director of information technology telecommunications, Snap-on Tools
"We see HP as the vendor most committed to NT in the enterprise. Not only does HP offer total solutions comprised of hardware, software and service and support, HP offers investment protection and lasting value. It is committed to helping us get the most from our existing environment, while helping lower our total cost of ownership. As our enterprise computing needs increase beyond our current system, migrating to HP's 8-way system is the next logical step." -- Ann Szilagyi, director of corporate planning, Pioneer New Media Technologies
"It is critical for our employees to be able to communicate efficiently worldwide. When we consolidated our system environment to run the Microsoft Exchange messaging system, HP provided a solution that favorably impacted our system performance, manageability and total cost of ownership. HP's NetServer systems offer us many benefits, including the ability to scale and add processors as needed. We're confident HP will continue providing leading-edge solutions for our mission-critical needs. Its relationships with industry leaders such as Microsoft and Intel help ensure that." -- Adam Rayburn James, worldwide messaging program manager, Glaxo Wellcome
"Pearl Assurance launched a new business system based around the use of image, workflow and a customer servicing GUI desktop. This system enables us to provide new levels of customer-service and work control. This client/server solution is based on 2- and 4-way rack-mounted HP NetServer LXr systems running NT. The new 8-way HP NetServer system will offer us the capability to scale this NT environment as it grows. In addition, we will look at the feasibility of using the 8-way HP NetServer systems as transaction servers to migrate some of our mainframe application development and MIS applications." -- Paul Dowse, principal IT consultant, Pearl Assurance
(1) This is equivalent to 2,750 fully business processed order line items per minute. The benchmark was conducted by HP and Informix in Cupertino, Calif. using SAP R/3 Standard Application Benchmark version 3.1G, Informix version 7.23 and Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server Enterprise Edition, The LXr Pro8 database server was configured with eight Pentium Pro 200MHz processors, each with 1MB L2 cache, 3GB of SDRAM memory, 320GB of disk space operating at 92 percent CPU utilization. Twenty-one LX Pro systems with 69 percent CPU utilization acted as application servers, each configured with eight Pentium Pro processors and 512MB of memory. Details are available on request from HP or SAP AG. |
