Systems/Enterprise:
HP INTRODUCES NEXT GENERATION GRID
AlphaServer SYSTEMS
HP introduced its newest generation of AlphaServer systems including the
most
powerful system to date, the HP AlphaServer GS1280. Based on the new EV7 Alpha
processor, the servers represent the most technically advanced AlphaServer
family to date, building on a decade of innovation and leadership in
high-performance grid server systems.
Currently shipping, the new systems provide AlphaServer customers with
immediate benefits through a powerful combination of performance, scalability,
reliability, manageability and availability features.
HP also announced the Alpha RetainTrust program, underscoring the company's
commitment to providing long-term operational business continuity for its
customers. A key element of the program is its focus on partners -- the vast
majority of HP's AlphaServer independent software vendors have committed to
support Tru64 UNIX and OpenVMS environments for the long term.
"Early response from customers and ISV partners to these new systems has
been
enthusiastic," said Scott Stallard, vice president, HP Business Critical
Systems.
"As part of our customers' adaptive infrastructure, we believe these
systems
are critical in meeting their needs for the next two to four years. We are
providing them with the foundation for a long-term future with HP by offering
immediate benefit and helping them prepare to evolve to Itanium
processor-based HP servers."
"As a long-time customer, we are very excited about the new AlphaServer
technology and the future we have with HP," said Gary Carter, director of ITS
production for Dollar Rent A Car Systems, the industry leader in leisure
rentals.
"We put great demands on our AlphaServer systems. They handle some 10 to 20
million transactions or queries a day on our Oracle databases. The new
AlphaServer systems will give us the increased performance and scalability we
need to grow our business and better serve our customers as we develop new
applications and deliver new functionality."
New AlphaServer Family
The new AlphaServer family includes the high-end GS1280 enterprise server,
the
ES80 departmental server and the ES47 workgroup systems. Tru64 UNIX and
OpenVMS are available on all the new systems and Linux is also available on
the AlphaServer ES47 and ES80 systems. The first AlphaServer models, including
16-processor GS1280 systems, shipped earlier this month, with larger GS1280
systems ranging up to 64 Alpha processors to follow later this year. In
addition, AlphaServer systems based on enhanced EV79 Alpha processor
technology are planned for introduction in 2004.
"We are absolutely impressed by the performance that the new AlphaServer
GS1280 delivers for our Wall Street Systems banking application. Timely,
end-of-day roll up is a challenge for many financial operations. The GS1280
dramatically accelerates this process and cuts the time required in half,"
said Karin Spevak, manager IT, Financial Markets Information Service, WAVE
Solutions Information Technology GmbH, a Bank Austria Creditanstalt
company.
The new Alpha EV7 processor is specifically designed to dramatically
improve
application performance. The processor contains all the building blocks of a
symmetric-multiprocessing (SMP) system, including system interconnects, on a
single chip to substantially provide improved performance and single system
scalability and reliability.
In addition, the systems use an industry-first "switch-less" mesh
architecture
that connects AlphaServer processors directly to one another, delivering true
linear scalability to 64 processors and beyond, along with significantly
increased system reliability in conjunction with hardware and software
enhancements.
Enhanced versions of Tru64 UNIX V5.1B and TruCluster Server software, also
introduced today, have been shipping since November. The HP OpenVMS V7.3-1
operating system, which has been shipping since August, also has been enhanced
to take full advantage of the capabilities of the new AlphaServer systems.
Enhancements in both environments improve application performance and system
scalability, availability and manageability. This has been done while
preserving binary compatibility to protect customer investments and ensure
long-term operational and business continuity.
"With our joint customers' businesses growing and getting more complex,
they
look forward to greater system performance for their applications," said Doug
Kennedy, vice president, Platform Alliances, System Platforms Division, Oracle
Corporation. "The Oracle and HP alliance has an excellent history of providing
solutions that excel at addressing these needs. The next-generation EV7-based
AlphaServer systems from HP will enable us to continue to meet our customers'
most demanding Oracle9i Database and application performance
requirements."
Alpha RetainTrust Program
The HP Alpha RetainTrust program takes an unprecedented approach to
satisfying
customers' needs for long-term capacity and growth by jointly planning and
actively supporting their smooth evolution to new ItaniumŪ architecture-based
HP servers.
The program is designed to strengthen HP's position as Alpha customers'
trusted IT advisor by continuing to deliver business value moving forward with
HP. The program provides a comprehensive set of initiatives, including
products, infrastructure and industry ISV business solutions, services, and
industry-leading business practices.
"HP recognizes that customers need operational business continuity while
they
take advantage of new technologies," said Rich Marcello, vice president and
general manager, HP Alpha Systems Division. "HP is setting the standard for
customer satisfaction by delivering on its commitment to AlphaServer customers
with the Alpha RetainTrust program, offering a smooth evolution to HP systems
of the future."
Dr. Michael Levine, scientific director, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center,
said, "These new AlphaServer systems deliver what we require. Not only do they
deliver more usable bandwidth than anything else, the modularity of the system
architecture in conjunction with its manageability makes this an outstanding
platform for this decade. We continue to be delighted by the decision we made
to use AlphaServer technology."
Solid Benchmark Performance
The new AlphaServer systems have established industry leadership in both
the
SPEC_rate2000 and the STREAM benchmarks, demonstrating their outstanding
"whole" systems performance and ability to scale linearly.
The SPEC_rate2000 results extend the performance of today's AlphaServer
systems, particularly in technical computing where the benefits of the
systems' technical innovations are well demonstrated with nearly 100% linear
scalability from one to 32 processors.
In the STREAM benchmark, measuring sustainable memory bandwidth for
computer
systems, the AlphaServer GS1280 demonstrated five to 10 times greater memory
bandwidth than comparable systems from IBM and Sun.
Pricing and Availability
The high-end HP AlphaServer GS1280 is now shipping in eight-and
16-(1.15-GHz) Alpha processor-based systems with estimated U.S. list prices
starting at $117,000. GS1280 systems with 32 processors are expected to be
available mid-year and 64-processor systems by the end of the year.
AlphaServer ES80 departmental systems with up to eight 1-Ghz Alpha processors
are expected to start shipping in March with estimated U.S. list prices
starting at $81,000.
The ES47 workgroup systems also are available now and come in two and four
1-Ghz Alpha processor configurations with estimated U.S. list prices starting
at
$39,700.
http://h18003.www1.h
p.com/hps/announce/jan_03.html
About HP
HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and
services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT
infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and
imaging and printing. HP completed its merger transaction involving Compaq
Computer Corporation on May 3, 2002.
http://www.hp.com
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