HP Raises the Stakes in High-end UNIX Server Market with Launch of Superdome Solution

Business Wire, Sept 12, 2000

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2000

"Beyond the Box" Leadership Defines the New Competitive Landscape

for Always-on Internet Infrastructure

Today, the competitive ceiling on high-end computing lifted as HP rolled out its much anticipated HP 9000 Superdome server solution. This single package combines the world's most powerful, flexible and available UNIX(R) computing platform with an industry-first go-to-market business model. The business model consists of up-front systems assessments; pre-installation testing and tuning; modern, utility-based pricing models; future-proof technology upgrades; and dedicated service and support teams.

The new systems are engineered to address the rigors of demanding Internet environments, as well as the changing technology needs of large dot-coms, service providers and other data-intensive enterprises, enabling companies to transform their IT environments as they transform their businesses.

HP Superdome is the fastest server in the UNIX market, at twice the speed of the HP V-Class server, and is expected to be able to sustain its performance leadership by reaching speeds three to four times greater than today's. With the most complete partitioning continuum in the industry, HP Superdome also sets new flexibility standards. First-to-market virtual partitioning enables customers to automatically reallocate processing power on-the-fly with precision and speed.

"The conversation about servers has moved beyond raw compute power to flexible pricing models, support offerings that keep businesses up and running, and the ability to embrace new technologies," said Ann Livermore, president of HP's Business Customer Organization. "With a value proposition that extends way beyond the box, HP Superdome sets a new standard for what it means to be a player in the Internet infrastructure arena."

HP is the only company to offer utility-like pricing models, enabling companies to pay for just the server capacity they need, when they need it. Additionally, HP has extended its industry-leading instant capacity-on-demand program to HP Superdome, allowing companies to immediately expand their purchase of computing power as their needs grow.

The new system offers unprecedented levels of single-system availability, minimizing system downtime through increased component redundancy, a wider range of hot-swappable components, and the UNIX industry's highest level of built-in error correction capabilities.

HP Superdome is IA-64-ready. A multi-OS architecture supports HP-UX(1) 11i today and, ultimately, is slated to support HP-UX, Windows NT(R) and Linux simultaneously.

Always-on, Always There

HP dedicates a solution manager to each HP Superdome customer to define needs, establish accountability throughout the solution lifecycle and accelerate the path to the customer's revenue or production. HP's repeatable methodology includes an HP Superdome readiness analysis that reviews business, environmental, operational and skills requirements. Based on this analysis, HP creates a detailed design to meet the customer's specific business needs. Every HP Superdome system is pre-integrated, and tested to the customer's satisfaction. An implementation is not considered successful -- or billable -- until the customer sign-off has been secured.

"Superdome demonstrates HP's ability to deliver industry-leading high-end technology. But perhaps even more important is HP's focus on the customer's total experience," said Vernon Turner, vice president of world wide commercial systems and servers at IDC, a leading industry-intelligence provider. "Building services into the Superdome product, and actually delivering that experience, should change the basis on which high-end suppliers compete."

For mission-critical-configuration customers, HP provides proactive high-availability services that help maintain an always-on business infrastructure and prevent problems before they occur. If issues arise, HP minimizes downtime through its premier reactive support services, including the industry's only "call to repair" commitment.

Solutions, Software and Storage

While each system is customized to address individual customer needs, a set of solution reference architectures helps speed HP Superdome solution implementations in CRM, ERP, e-commerce, e-intelligence and collaborative product development. Infrastructure solutions include system consolidation and mission-critical infrastructure architectures.

HP UX11i, optimized for HP Superdome, provides three new levels of operating environments tailored for HP Superdome solutions. A core component of the HP Superdome platform, HP UX11i enables virtual partitioning, processor-based pricing and online component replacement.

HP OpenView software is available to manage HP Superdome partitioned environments, including those offering instant capacity on demand, and features flexible lease programs designed to meet the changing business requirements of service providers. New utility pricing models enable service providers to manage revenue streams more effectively.