COMMERCIAL NEWS
Hewlett-Packard Company, co-developer of the Intel(R) Itanium(TM) Instruction Set Architecture, announced a broad portfolio of Itanium Processor Family (IPF)-based systems, services and solutions designed to provide customers with an easy transition to Itanium-based platform technology, the flexibility to choose among various operating systems, and protection for their information technology investments.
“HP is confident that the Itanium Processor Family is the future of computing,” said Duane Zitzner, president, HP Computing Systems Organization. “Today’s announcement of HP’s Itanium-based solutions demonstrates HP’s leadership in the future of computing technology. Our customers will be the real beneficiaries of this new processor technology.”
“The introduction of Itanium-based servers marks a new chapter in enterprise-class computing and establishes a solid foundation to deliver the performance, innovation and price essential to businesses for many years to come,” said Paul Otellini, executive vice president and general manager, Intel Architecture Group. “HP’s broad support for the Itanium processor family — with workstations, servers and operating system support — exemplifies the momentum behind the Itanium processor.”
Workstation, Servers and Operating Systems
HP’s first Itanium-based systems include the HP Workstation i2000 with up to 2 processors, the HP Server rx4610 with up to 4 processors and the HP Server rx9610 with up to 16 processors.
HP offers customers the freedom to choose their operating system by supporting HP-UX, Microsoft(R) Windows(R) and Linux. This choice provides customers with the flexibility, cost effectiveness, scalability, application availability and interoperability required to meet their business needs.
HP-UX is currently the only 64-bit UNIX(R) system that provides compatibility of customers’ binary software applications as they transition from Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) to the Itanium architecture. HP-UX is optimized for the Itanium architecture to provide the performance, scalability and reliability customers have come to expect from the HP-UX operating environment well into the future. HP also currently has the only RISC-based hardware that is upgradeable to IPF without recompiling applications or software.
Programs for Itanium Users and Developers
HP offers consulting, education, software, financing, services and support to ease customers’ transition to the IPF technology. HP programs designed to help customers plan, migrate, port, support and implement HP’s Itanium-based systems include:
System start-up services to provide network and operating system configuration, file and accounting setup, and operational procedure implementation; Overall management or supply assistance through project management and planning of customers’ transition to IPF; Porting and migration services to help customers get their in-house or third-party applications running on Itanium-based systems; An HP “guru” service to let customers query experienced HP consultants, making their collective knowledge available to customers with unique problems to solve; Seven HP education courses — from fundamental to advanced level — providing customers with technical knowledge to ease the transformation of their businesses; and a financing program especially for purchasers of Itanium workstations and servers with an attractive annual percentage rate with a 12- or 18-month option.
Designed to provide customers with investment protection for the transition to Itanium-based systems, an investment protection plan is planned to be available for Itanium processor customers who want to migrate to the next-generation Itanium processor (code named McKinley). HP intends to provide financial rewards to customers who buy HP’s Itanium-based systems now and then later purchase future HP Itanium-based systems.
To motivate and assist independent software vendors (ISVs) with their transition to HP’s Itanium architecture-based systems, the HP Designing the Future program provides marketing benefits, technical information, services and support to enable deployment of HP-UX, Windows and Linux solutions.
HP also is working with industry-leading partners, such as Oracle(R) Corp., to make the IPF technology pervasive. Oracle’s support of Itanium architecture-based HP platforms is expected to accelerate the adoption of the Itanium architecture for leading business applications.
Availability and Pricing
HP’s Itanium-based systems are expected to be available in late June with an estimated U.S. street price beginning at $7,000.
About HP
Hewlett-Packard Company — a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services — is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and solutions for an Internet infrastructure that’s always on.
HP had total revenue from continuing operations of $48.8 billion in its 2000 fiscal year.
Web site: http://www.hp.com
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