Compaq ProLiant 2500 Delivers High-End Capabilities at Mainstream Prices for Departmental, Branch Office Solutions.HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 1996-- Integrated Remote Management and Innovative Product Design Make New Server Easier to Manage, Service, and Upgrade Compaq Computer Corporation (company) Compaq Computer Corporation - The largest US manufacturer and vendor of IBM PC compatible personal computers and servers. Compaq was started in 1982 by three ex-Texas Instruments employees. Quarterly sales $2499M, profits $210M (Aug 1994). http://compaq.com/. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : CPQ CPQ Compaq CPQ Conseil du Patronat du Québec (Canada) CPQ Configure-Price-Quote CPQ Conseil de Presse du Québec (Québec Press Council, Canada) CPQ Companion Parrot Quarterly ) -- the world's leading server vendor -- today announced worldwide the Compaq ProLiant 2500 server. Targeted at departmental and remote/branch office sites, which often lack on-site MIS support, the ProLiant 2500 features a fast-access cabinet design and modular components for easy, tool-free service. The ProLiant 2500 ships standard with a built-in remote management feature, called Integrated Remote Console A terminal or workstation in a remote location that is used to monitor and control a local computer. , which provides continuous access to the server from a centralized MIS location. The newest product in Compaq's award-winning line of servers, the ProLiant 2500 supports up to two 200 MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. Pentium Pro The sixth generation of the Intel x86 family of CPU chips. The term may refer to the chip or to a PC that uses it. Introduced in 1995 as the successor to the Pentium, models from 150 MHz to 200 MHz were released. processors and is ideally suited to handle departmental database, Internet, or Intranet applications. The innovative design of the ProLiant 2500 speeds the time to replace internal component modules to under two minutes and converts from a tower to rack-mount configuration (and vice-versa) in under five minutes. This new modular product design reduces maintenance costs and allows for easier upgrades to future processor or input/output technology, protecting customers' investments and extending the useful life of the system. For customers running business-critical applications in remote/branch offices, Integrated Remote Console (IRC (Internet Relay Chat) Computer conferencing on the Internet. There are hundreds of IRC channels on numerous subjects that are hosted on IRC servers around the world. After joining a channel, your messages are broadcast to everyone listening to that channel. ) -- incorporated into the system board -- works in conjunction with Compaq Insight Manager (see today's related Compaq software release) to allow system administrators to easily manage many remote servers from a centralized location. Integrated Remote Console facilitates remote diagnosis and re-starting of servers in the event of a hardware fault or even a complete operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. failure. In recent audited TPC-C A benchmark that measures overall transaction processing performance. See TPC. benchmarks, the ProLiant 2500 delivered best-in-class performance of 3,594.47 tpmC and industry-leading price/performance value of $82.21/tpmC (a). At the AIM Hot Iron Awards presented earlier this month at UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). EXPO PLUS in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , the ProLiant 2500 was also selected Best Performer and Best Price/Performance server in four separate categories for UNIX and Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. systems: o Best Performer, less than $25K, UNIX Shared System o Best Performer, less than $25K, UNIX File Server Mix o Best Price/Performance, less than $25K, UNIX File Server Mix o Best Performer, less than $25K, Windows NT File Server Mix Continuing a trend the company established with the introduction of the highly successful Compaq ProSignia 300 and Compaq ProLiant 1500 servers, Compaq has incorporated in the ProLiant 2500 features typically associated with more expensive high-end systems, while maintaining aggressive prices. "Customers at the departmental and remote/branch office levels are demanding cost-effective solutions that deliver the power and functionality to support robust, mission-critical applications and operating systems Operating systems can be categorized by technology, ownership, licensing, working state, usage, and by many other characteristics. In practice, many of these groupings may overlap. ," said John T. Rose, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager, Enterprise Computing Refers to information technology in the larger company. See enterprise data and enterprise networking. Group, Compaq Computer Corporation. "The ProLiant 2500 addresses the business-critical needs of these two key markets in the distributed enterprise computing arena, broadens Compaq's line of Pentium Pro servers, and moves Compaq one step closer to providing computing solutions that cover the Fortune Global 2000 companies' full range of computing requirements." "Compaq is recognized as addressing customer needs for increased performance, high availability Also called "RAS" (reliability, availability, serviceability) or "fault resilient," it refers to a multiprocessing system that can quickly recover from a failure. There may be a minute or two of downtime while one system switches over to another, but processing will continue. , and enhanced remote management at the departmental and remote/branch office levels," said Jerry Sheridan, Director and Principal Analyst at Dataquest. "The ProLiant 2500 continues this trend by delivering business-critical features typically associated with high-end systems, making it a powerful and affordable solution for database; Internet/Intranet; and large, consolidated file/print applications." Compaq also introduced a comprehensive investment protection program to ensure existing Compaq ProLiant 1500 customers a seamless and affordable Pentium Pro upgrade path. Compaq ProLiant 2500 6/200 System Highlights The ProLiant 2500 comes standard with a comprehensive feature set designed to meet current departmental and remote/branch office customer requirements, while providing future expansion and incremental upgrade capability for investment protection. The ProLiant 2500 supports up to two 200 MHz Pentium Pro processors and up to 1 GB of error checking and correcting (ECC (1) (Error-Correcting Code) A type of memory that corrects errors on the fly. See ECC memory. (2) (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) A public key cryptography method that provides fast decryption and digital signature processing. ) memory. This new server also supports hot-pluggable drives, a new backward-compatible Wide-Ultra SCSI SCSI in full Small Computer System Interface Once common standard for connecting peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, etc.) to small and medium-sized computers. SCSI has given way to faster standards, such as Firewire and USB. drive controller that increases data transfer rates up to 40 MB/s (twice the speed of Fast-Wide SCSI-2 devices), and includes six card slots (2 PCI (1) (Payment Card Industry) See PCI DSS. (2) (Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). , 4 PCI/EISA). To handle increased throughput demands at the server, the ProLiant 2500 ships with an integrated 10/100 auto-sensing Ethernet controller. The ProLiant 2500 offers subsystem redundancy options (processor, NIC (1) (Network Interface Card) See network adapter. See also InterNIC. (2) (New Internet Computer) An earlier Linux-based computer from The New Internet Computer Company (NICC), Palo Alto, CA. , power supply), allowing customers to incrementally add high-availability features as their computing needs change. A high degree of system flexibility allows customers to standardize on a single platform, yet tailor the configuration to the specific needs of each department or application. The ProLiant 2500 supports existing network storage options including the Compaq SMART-2 Array Controller and the Compaq DLT (Digital Linear Tape) A magnetic tape technology originally developed by Digital for its VAX line. The technology was later sold to Quantum, which makes it available to other manufacturers. DLT uses half-inch, single-hub cartridges similar to IBM's 3480/3490/3590 line. Tape Array. The SMART-2 Array Controller allows RAID storage to be added while the system is operational. The Compaq DLT Tape Array can backup 200 GB of data in less than five hours with full RAID protection. New Built-in Remote Management Capability To meet the requirements of network administrators who need to manage remote servers from a centralized location, the ProLiant 2500 now ships standard with the Compaq Integrated Remote Console (IRC). Accessed through Compaq Insight Manager -- Compaq's server and desktop management tool - - and working with Insight Management Agents, the IRC provides reliable and powerful remote management capabilities and operates independently of the host operating system. IRC uses a modem installed in the server to enable remote server access and reboot To reload the operating system, which restarts the computer. See boot. (operating system) reboot - (From boot) A boot with the implication that the computer has not been down for long, or that the boot is a bounce intended to clear some state of wedgitude. See warm boot. , even if the operating system is disabled. After a reboot, IRC provides reports of console video sequences leading up to the system failure. For customers who require uninterruptible server access and alerting functions, even in the event of a complete system outage, the Compaq Remote Insight Board provides a comprehensive hardware- and software-independent remote management solution. The Remote Insight Board, announced in June 1996, incorporates all the functionality used to develop IRC and is equipped with a self-contained processor, memory, battery, and modem that all operate independently from the host hardware. Fully integrated with Insight Manager 3.10, Remote Insight ensures continual monitoring, alerting, access, and control of the server. The Remote Insight Board also supports alphanumeric and numeric paging for system alerts and stores valuable trouble-shooting information on the board to speed server recovery operations Operations conducted to search for, locate, identify, rescue, and return personnel, sensitive equipment, or items critical to national security. . Flexible Product Design Designed to deliver easier serviceability, investment protection, and the flexibility to accommodate changing needs, the ProLiant 2500 features an innovative new product design. This design includes easily removed top-, side-, and back- access panels; subsystem modules that can be serviced without tools; and an integrated tower-to-rack conversion capability. The modular design In the context of systems engineering, modular design — or "modularity in design" — is an approach aiming to subdivide a system into smaller parts (modules) that can be independently created and then used in different systems to drive multiple functionalities. of the ProLiant 2500 allows service technicians to remove the top- , side-, or back-access panels for fast and easy access to system components. At the subsystem level, Compaq's new "no tools required" modules allow for the processor board, I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output board, and fan to be easily swapped in swapped in - swap and out of the unit, providing faster access and reduced system downtime during service and expansion operations. To ensure the highest levels of investment protection and flexibility, the chassis of the ProLiant 2500 has a built-in tower-to-rack conversion capability. This feature allows customers to convert the unit from tower to rack-mountable form in less than five minutes for re-deployment into or out of data centers. "Our primary engineering goal was to create a system that was service-friendly. Even board access has been designed with the IS manager in mind. For example, board access for a rack-mounted system is from the side, at eye-level, while tower systems are accessible from the top," said John Young, Director Product Marketing and Business Operations Business operations are those activities involved in the running of a business for the purpose of producing value for the stakeholders. Compare business processes. The outcome of business operations is the harvesting of value from assets , Server Products Division, Compaq Computer Corporation. "The ProLiant 2500 is 90 percent serviceable without tools, resulting in faster subsystem access, replacement, easy upgrades, and increased uptime." The ProLiant 2500 also features a smaller footprint than previous ProLiant servers, and its rack density has been significantly reduced from 12.25 inches (7U) to 8.75 inches (5U) -- both key considerations in data centers where floor space is limited or costly. For key diagnostic information on the health of major server components, the ProLiant 2500 supports a user-upgradeable LCD module option, which comes with an integrated keypad. This LCD module can also be used for on-server storage of vital information such as an Internet protocol address and a server name. Service and Support Compaq-branded Service and Support Offerings (CSSO CSSO Contractor Special Security Officer CSSO Clotted Symmetric Sexual Organ (Japanese band) CSSO Chief State School Officer CSSO Computer System Security Officer CSSO Customer Service, Sales & Operations ) are now available for the ProLiant 2500, ensuring customers access to enhanced levels of service and support for high availability of business-critical applications. CSSO offerings were developed to enhance and extend the service portfolios of Compaq's primary service providers -- its resellers and partners. These offerings include services such as: 7x24 hardware and software services; installation services; systems healthcheck services to identify potential issues before they affect system performance; remote management services for ongoing network and systems monitoring and maintenance; and comprehensive systems management services. Compaq also provides service and support on a worldwide basis for customers with global operations through its Global Service and Support Partner (GSSP GSSP Global Boundary Stratotype Sections and Points GSSP Generally-Accepted System Security Principles (NSSOG) GSSP Gifted Student Services Plan (Kentucky Department of Education) ) agreement with the Multi-Vendor Customer Service Division (MCS) of Digital Equipment Corporation. On September 2, 1996, Compaq extended its GSSP agreement with Digital Equipment Corporation Japan to offer enterprise-class service and support in the Japanese market. Pricing(b) and Availability The Compaq ProLiant 2500 is available immediately in volume, with prices starting at $6,000. The FlexSMP 6/200 processor board, which upgrades the ProLiant 1500 to Pentium Pro technology, is also available immediately for $3,399. Wide-Ultra SCSI drives will be available in the first quarter of 1997. The optional LCD module and redundant power supply will be available in the first half of 1997. The previously- announced Remote Insight Board is priced at $1,000 and has been available in volume since July 1996. Company Background Compaq Computer Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, is the fifth largest computer company in the world and the largest global supplier of personal computers, delivering useful innovation through products that connect people with people and people with information. The company is an industry leader in environmentally friendly programs and business practices. Compaq is strategically organized to meet the current and future needs of its customers, offering Internet and enterprise computing solutions, networking products, commercial PC products and consumer PCs. As the leader in distributed enterprise solutions, Compaq has shipped approximately one million servers. In 1995, the company reported worldwide sales of $14.8 billion. Compaq products are sold and supported in more than 100 countries through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Customer support and information about Compaq and its products can be found at http://www.compaq.com or by calling 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. Product information and reseller locations can be obtained by calling 1-800-345-1518. -0- (a) Benchmark results were achieved with the Compaq ProLiant 2500 powered by two 200 MHz Pentium Pro processors running Microsoft SQL Server A relational DBMS from Microsoft that is a major component of the Windows Server System. It is Microsoft's high-end client/server database and is closely integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft Office System. 6.5 on Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 (b) All prices listed herein are estimated U.S. street prices. Reseller prices may vary. Compaq, Registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. CONTACT: Compaq Computer Corporation Jerele Neeld, 713-514-0484 jneeld@netgate.compaq.com or Miller/Shandwick Technologies Lisa Marafioti, 617-536-0470 lmarafioti@miller.shandwick.com |
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