HP Overhauls Server Blade Platform
Posted by
Darrell Dunn
June 14, 2006
Engaged in a head-to-head battle with IBM for dominance in the fast-growing server blade market, Hewlett-Packard is overhauling its blade architecture to enable higher densities, reduced acquisition and operational costs, and enhanced management capabilities.
The company today introduced the c-Class portfolio, which will replace its existing p-Class server blade offerings with new chassis, blades, fans, power supplies, and management control.
"This design is a significant leap forward for the industry," says Mark Potter, VP of BladeSystem for HP. "Previous introductions by our competitors have really been tweaks to existing systems, and not a real extension of a bladed architecture to meet demands of the customers."
Sun Microsystems recently announced plans to add new blades based around its Galaxy architecture.
IBM recently made several announcements in support of its BladeCenter platform, including a third-party, $100 million venture capital fund for ecosystem partners; continued expansion of its Blade.org consortium to 75 members; and the introduction of a 10-Gigabit Ethernet switch.
