Hewlett-Packard Co. today will announce three new entry-level models of its HP Unix servers, priced up to 40 percent below the cost of earlier comparable systems.
The HP Unix 2405, 5405 and 7405 feature the computer makers 64-bit 650MHz PA-8700 processors in base configurations, but the 5405 and 7405 can be upgraded to Intel Corp.s 1GHz Itanium 2 chips, which were co-developed by HP.
The servers all feature virtual partitioning capabilities, enabling the system to operate like multiple servers with each partition running its own operating system and applications. The servers are also capable of hard partitioning, which further isolates partitions by running them on different processors.
The two-way 2405 starts at $4,795 for a single 650MHz PA-8700 processor system with 512MB of memory and two 18GB hard drives. The four-way 5405 is entry-priced at $29,026 for a system featuring two 650MHz processors, 4GB of memory and 72GB of internal storage. Prices for the eight-way 7405 start at $50,595 for a system featuring only two 650MHz processors, 4GB of memory and 146GB of internal storage.
Todays release of the new lower-cost Unix servers, priced up to 40 percent lower than earlier comparable HP Unix systems, comes amid continued weak IT spending dampened by continued uncertainty about the strength of the U.S. economy. Corporate customers are particularly cutting back their spending on high-end Unix servers, according to computer makers and industry analysts.
Last week, Sun Microsystems Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., blamed weaker than expected sales of its high-end servers, which can cost $1 million or more, for spurring the company to lower its earnings forecast for the quarter.
Despite a string of quarterly losses, Sun continues to be the dominant player in Unix-based systems, garnering 39 percent of all sales worldwide during the second quarter, according to a report last week by International Data Corp., HP, of Palo Alto, Calif., which acquired Compaq Computer Corp. in May, was second with a 31 percent market share, and Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM was third with a 20 percent share.
