HP releases second-generation high-availability solution for Windows NT environments

Hewlett-Packard Company has announced its second-generation high-availability HP NetServer system solution for Microsoft Windows NT environments. This solution combines high-performance HP NetServer systems, Microsoft Cluster Server software, HP cluster-management software, and service and support programmes to deliver a cluster solution that maximises performance levels across the enterprise by leveraging existing resources to match appropriate levels of availability to customers` changing needs. HP`s second-generation high-availability solution is based on its HP NetServer LH Pro and LX Pro series. The HP NetServer LH Pro and LX Pro series cluster configurations include HP AutoRAID array technology - a high-performance, "RAID made easy" storage solution that provides data integrity and protection for both UNIX and NT system environments; HP ClusterView for Windows NT for monitoring and prevention; and HP`s industry-leading service and support programmes to provide customers with cluster diagnosis and recovery. HP continues to lead the industry with the latest NT high-availability solutions, which are designed to deliver up to 99.9 percent system up-time. The HP NetServer LXr Pro system features a rack-mountable cluster configuration. This self-contained cluster solution delivers greater storage capacity in less space, along with flexible storage options, and can support a maximum shared storage of 252GB on RAID5. This clustering solution is also available on the HP NetServer LH Pro series for corporate workgroups and on the HP NetServer LX Pro series, delivering a more powerful solution for the enterprise. For customers needing the scalability, distance, flexibility and performance of fibre channel, HP also is shipping its Model 30/FC Fibre Channel High-Availability Disk Array subsystem and EMC Symmetrix 3000 Series Arrays with the HP NetServer LH Pro and HP NetServer LX Pro and LXr Pro systems. "With our second-generation high-availability offerings for NT, we are building on our success and experience in the UNIX system environment by integrating enterprise-class components on our Intel-based HP NetServer systems and by lowering customers` total cost of ownership," said Thierry Boulanger, HP marketing manager, personal computers. "Customers now can take advantage of the latest technologies, such as fibre channel, while leveraging such existing assets as AutoRAID, and can use the same software-management framework, services and support for both UNIX system and NT environments." To allow customers to consolidate their mixed UNIX system and NT environments while leveraging existing data-center resources, new configurations for Fibre Channel and cluster configurations for the HP NetServer LXr Pro8 system are scheduled to be available this quarter. HP is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament. Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 121,900 employees and had revenue of $42.9 billion in its 1997 fiscal year.