New Liquid Elements provides fast path for OEMs and resellers to enter the multi-billion dollar unified computing market

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 4 -- Liquid Computing, the leader in unified computing infrastructure for today's dynamic datacenter, today announced that it is working with Intel to launch its new Liquid Elements unified computing system on Intel Server Systems with Intel Xeon processors. Liquid Computing will work with VAR channel partners and customers to begin delivering the solution to market at the end of this quarter. The combined solution will be demonstrated at the upcoming SC09 conference, Nov. 14-20 in Portland, Ore.

Until now, Liquid Computing has driven the unified computing market with its LiquidIQ product, a fully integrated hardware and software-based system that is proven to dramatically reduce the cost of managing IT infrastructure through software control of servers, networking and storage from a common interface.

With the introduction of Liquid Elements, Liquid Computing becomes the first to deliver the power of unified computing across standards-based datacenter infrastructure from leading brands. Initially, Liquid Elements will support Intel Server System SR1680MV rack servers and NetApp storage devices. The result is a complete "datacenter in a box" that combines the cost-savings and management flexibility of unified computing from Liquid Computing with the breakthrough processing speed, memory and density of servers from Intel. The system is also designed to cost effectively scale from the smallest through the largest of implementations.

"We believe Liquid Computing's solution will help accelerate the adoption of unified computing that applies an open, standards-based approach," said David Brown, general manager of Channel Server Products at Intel. "By addressing the significant issue of escalating cost and complexity of infrastructure management, Liquid Elements on Intel-based servers provides a powerful solution for the server OEMs and channel to create dynamic and highly efficient datacenters for their customers."

"With Liquid Computing's open approach to unified computing, enterprises can leverage their existing datacenter vendor relationships and investments," said Zeus Kerravala, senior vice president, Yankee Group. "Since it's based on common datacenter building blocks from industry leaders like Intel and NetApp, and supports both bare metal and virtualized environments, Liquid Elements customers gain the benefits of unified computing without incurring cost, risk and delays typically associated with migration to a new platform."

"Liquid Elements will add strength to our datacenter solutions practice," said Joe Vaught, executive vice president and COO of PCPC Direct Ltd., a Houston-based solutions provider. "We're excited by Liquid Computing's vision, as customers are looking for innovative and open solutions that can significantly reduce their operating costs. We are also impressed with the relationships Liquid Computing has developed with leaders like Intel and Microsoft to incorporate their products and platforms into complete integrated systems. We look forward to a strong and prosperous partnership."

"As recognized leaders in server and storage technologies, Intel and NetApp both share our belief that open standards drive competition, eliminate vendor lock-in, and empower customers to choose," said Vikram Desai, president and CEO of Liquid Computing. "Liquid Elements embraces this approach, and thereby takes the benefits of unified computing and comprehensive datacenter automation mainstream."

Liquid Computing will also join Intel's Enabled Server Acceleration Alliance (Intel ESAA). Intel ESAA provides resellers and direct OEMs access to a wide range of pre-validated configuration guides ("recipes") jointly developed by Intel and vendors, as well as marketing and technical resources. It also helps members build relationships, reduce engineering costs, and compete with products based on the proven reliability of Intel server and workstation products.

Liquid Elements Features

Liquid Elements for Intel Server Systems combines the benefits of Liquid Computing's management and control with the power and density of the Intel Server System (SR1680MV) to provide:

• Unified fabric control that enables all application infrastructure including servers, networking and storage to be managed remotely through a common interface.
   
• Breakthrough performance, memory and efficiency with up to four Intel Xeon 5500 Series Processors and up to 288GB DDR3 memory (36 DIMMs) in a 1U chassis.
   
• "Virtual backplane" connectivity to servers via high speed cables and Liquid Computing's innovative Switched Network Adapters, providing secure remote management, configuration and networking control.
   
• Security and reliability delivered via an out-of-path control network that supports automated failover.
   
• Lower costs through a 10:1 reduction in provisioning time, a 2:1 reduction in space requirement with ultra-dense Intel Xeon processors, and 10:1 reduction in cabling complexity with a single high-speed cable per server.
   
• Integration with NetApp SnapMirror for highly efficient data replication to support disaster recovery.

Liquid Elements for Intel Server Systems Components

• Liquid Elements Fabric Control Software: For complete remote management of servers, networking and storage components through a common interface.
   
• Liquid Elements Fabric Module: A dual purpose module with built-in redundancy that provides management and control, and 10Gb Ethernet fabric switching in a 4U chassis.
   
• Intel Server System SR1680MV: Provides two independent dual socket/18DIMM servers in 1U chassis, designed to fit in a standard rack.
   
• Liquid Switched Network Adapters: For enhanced remote management, configuration and networking control.

The solution will be available at the end of this quarter. For more information, visit http://www.liquidcomputing.com/products/liquid-elements.php or contact Liquid Computing at sales@liquidcomputing.com.

About Liquid Computing, Inc.

Liquid Computing is a leader in unified computing infrastructure for the dynamic datacenter. The company's core product, LiquidIQ, is a complete "datacenter in a chassis" that drives down the time and costs of managing IT infrastructure through unified software-based control of servers, storage and networking resources. Recently named a Visionary in Gartner's 2009 Magic Quadrant for Blade Servers, Liquid Computing has offices in Ottawa, Canada, and Stamford, Conn. The company has customers throughout North America and has established relationships with global industry leaders including Intel, NetApp, Microsoft, VMware, BMC, Oracle, Red Hat and AMD. For more information, visit http://www.liquidcomputing.com.

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Source: Liquid Computing, Inc.