HP Refresh Brings Enterprise to Entry-Level

Sometimes the difference between entry-level and midmarket is a matter of semantics.

Take HP’s latest refresh of servers as an example. On Monday, the OEM unveiled four 2-socket quad-core-capable entry-level ProLiant servers aimed at the midmarket. Two of the servers are new offerings; two are upgrades of existing models.

Both were designed to meet the needs of both small and midsize companies whose computing needs mimic those of a large enterprise but that still lack a large, dedicated IT staff, John Gromala, director of marketing for HP ProLiant Servers, told ServerWatch.

For such companies, high availability and protection from data loss are as critical as they are for large enterprises. These servers, therefore, feature embedded Serial ATA (SATA) Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) as well as a high-efficiency power supply option.

The ProLiant DL180 G5 and DL185 G5 are brand-new 2-socket servers. According to Gromala, they deliver “amazing capabilities for a 2U server at this price point.” Despite being positioned at the low end, they can hold from 4 to 12 hard drives.

The DL180 is a 2-processor, 2U server. It is powered by Intel’s latest quad-core chip and contains three PCI-E slots, optional redundant power supplies, and up to 12 large form factor hot-plug drives. It can hold up to 9 TB of storage.

The DL185 G5 is its Opteron counterpart. The high capacity 2-processor, 2U low-cost is being positioned as ideal for mail and messaging, video capture, online gaming and high-performance computing (HPC). The DL185 features up to 14 large form factor hot plug drives, 10.5 TB of storage, dual network interface cards (NICs), three PCI-Express slots and optional redundant power supplies.

While the nomenclature for the ProLiant DL165 G5 and DL160 G5 is new, the servers themselves are reincarnations of the DL140 and DL165, respectively, Gromala said.

HP describes the DL165 is a 2-processor, 1U server as delivering an “outstanding combination of price, performance and flexibility.” The DL165 features four 3.5-inch hard disk drives for demanding application needs or capacity requirements.

The DL160, which was announced in November 2007 and is now available, was designed with the HPC needs of midsize customers in mind. The 2-processor, 1U server contains Intel’s newest quad-core architecture and features two PCI-Express x16 2.0 slots, support for faster front-side bus speeds, high-efficiency options and double the amount of storage compared to previous generations.

All of these servers come with HP’s Lights-Out 100 Remote Management capability, which was designed specifically for this market, Gromala said, noting that Lights-Out 100 Remote Management makes remote server control a cost-effective undertaking.

HP also announced several software-based solutions aimed at the midmarket at this time. Midmarket Business Solutions are designed to cut the time and effort needed for customers and channel partners to either create or upgrade critical business applications for entry-level ProLiant servers.

All of the new products and solutions fall under HP’s Adaptive Infrastructure portfolio. The DL160 and DL185 are available for immediate purchase. The DL180 will be available in early February, and the DL165 will ship in early March, Gromala said.