Microsoft, Dell, HP, Fujitsu Team Up to Sell Cloud Servers

Microsoft has formed an alliance with Dell, HP, and Fujitsu to sell pre-configured Microsoft Azure-powered cloud servers. By pre-configured, they mean that the servers should be ready to go without any further configuration required. As such, they call them “appliances” rather than servers.

These appliances will allow companies to take advantage of the “private cloud”, with which they run their own applications and storing them in their own data centers. This differs from the “public cloud”, in which the applications are on servers in third-party data centers.

Potential customers are expected to be larger businesses with scalable enterprise server needs. The first in line is the auction super site Ebay.com. The Azure software itself, however, will be more widely available. Microsoft is joining numerous other big IT companies that are now offering cloud services, including IBM, Google, and Amazon.

Source: The China Post
Photo: Flickr

HP signs $3 billion contract with US Navy

Last Thursday, HP announced the signing of a $3 billion contract with the US Navy. Under the deal, HP will continue to provide IT services to the Navy, including the operation of its Intranet.

Dennis Stolkey, senior vice president of the US public sector at HP Enterprise Services, stated:

The Department of the Navy needs to provide uninterrupted service to users while the Navy and Marine Corps execute a transition of one of the world’s largest and most secure defense network environments.

The company must also provide IT support for more than 700,000 Navy personnel. This is a big task indeed. But of course, HP is a pretty big company.

Photo | Flickr

Disadvantages of Proprietary Unix

In a previous post this week, we examined various free Unix-like operating systems that were direct competitors with Linux, but there is another type of Unix-like operating system that still largely occupies many of the enterprise servers on the Internet. Those unices are proprietary creations of commercial companies like IBM, which created AIX, and HP, which has HP-UX.

Unlike free and open source operating systems, true Unix has been locked up for years with licensing issuses, patent disputes, and the dreaded vendor lock-in. Even IBM and HP versions are not immune to the last problem. When a major company’s product reaches the end of its shelf life, what do you do? Most end up having to spend thousands to replace their systems and sometimes even their applications as well.

For web hosting, which rarely requires specific applications that the big companies might provide, there is really no sensible reason to opt with one of their proprietary systems. Even though Linux, for example, is free and open source, there are commercial companies that will support it. The difference is that you can leave that company and choose another or stop paying for support altogether at any time.

Photo Source: Flickr

Hot tub in the data center?

As part of an advertising campaign, HP has released a rather funny video of… a hot tub in the data center. Three IT admins are having a meeting in the tub, which was supposedly bought with savings from buying HP management software.

Of course this video isn’t meant to be taken literally, but after watching it, I’m honestly surprised that no company has tried putting a hot tub in the server room. Although the servers might be at risk from the moisture, I could see a firm like Google doing this for its employees.

Microsoft to end Itanium support

Microsoft has announced that it will end software support for Intel’s Itanium processor. Windows Server 2008 R2 will be the last version to support the architecture that once promised to be one of the most powerful. The Itanium was once touted as the ideal server architecture by HP, and the company still produces servers that run Itanium processors or IA-64, as it was known.

But the 64-bit processors faced an uphill battle against AMD’s x86_64 processors, which maintained compatibility with 32-bit x86 processors. Intel found itself competing in that market, leaving the Itanium cold and neglected.

While many Unix-like operating systems will most likely continue to support the Itanium at least for a while, Microsoft’s cold shoulder will be viewed by many as the architecture’s last gasp for breath. Microsoft’s support for Windows 2008 R2, which supports the Itanium, will continue until July 9, 2013, and extended support will continue until July 10, 2018, which is plenty of time for server owners to wait until their next upgrade to switch, but for the Itanium, it only means that its days are numbered.

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

As Data Centers expand, router and switch sales grow

A market research firm called Dell’Oro Group has released a report that finds the market for ethernet switches has grown by 20% in the last quarter of 2009. Cisco, HP, and Juniper, three of the big players have added $600 million in revenue, and the research firm expects the market to continue to grow in 2010 from $15.6 billion to 16.3 billion.

“Year-end budget spending and supply constraints from the previous quarter helped propel market growth in the fourth quarter,” said Alan Weckel, director of the market research firm’s Ethernet Switch research, in a statement. “We expect the market to continue to expand in 2010, especially as 10 Gigabit Ethernet continues to grow not only as a server connectivity technology, but also as an aggregation technology within the data center.”

The news comes after it seems Cisco intends to end its partnership with HP, a move that has not thrilled the latter. IBM, which partners with Juniper is also expected to expand its services, requiring more routers and switches. As data centers continue to grow both in number and size, the expectation is that the demand will increase and the competition will continue to heat up.

Source: InformationWeek
Photo: Flickr

HP launches cloud infrastructure design service

Businesses are jumping to get on the cloud, but many will have to redesign their server infrastructure to most effectively meet the needs of the new technology. That’s why server guru HP has launched the HP Cloud Design Service.

As part of the service, HP will evaluate a company’s server hardware and come up with a new configuration designed specifically for cloud computing, including the different level of security needed. Flynn Maloy, director of marketing, HP Technology Services, stated:

We’re moving beyond the hype to put rigor in the financial analysis of cloud computing. We understand all the components. What we’re doing here is providing choice in a structured way.

Sounds like HP has cooked up a brilliant scheme to sell more servers.

Source | Data Center Knowledge
Photo | Flickr

HP wins domain dispute

Hewlett-Packard recently won a dispute filed with the National Arbitration Forum over the domain hpserver.com. HP, a company well known for its IT equipment, argued that the domain violated some of its many trademarks.

In addition, the company claimed the registrant was using the name in bad faith, advertising competitors through advertisements. Because HP proved its case the the domain owner did not contest the complaint, the server manufacturer won its case.

Source | Domain News
Photo | Flickr

HP buys 3com for $2.7 billion

In a deal that could have far-reaching effects on the data center industry, Hewlett-Packard has bought networking giant 3com for $2.7 billion.

HP’s goal is to combine its extensive range of server offerings with 3com’s networking products. By doing so, it should be able to compete much better against Cisco, a competitor of both companies that produces servers and network hardware as well.

Dave Donatelli, an executive at HP, said the following:

Companies are looking for ways to break free from the business limitations imposed by a networking paradigm that has been dominated by a single vendor. By acquiring 3Com, we are accelerating the execution of our Converged Infrastructure strategy and bringing disruptive change to the networking industry. By combining HP ProCurve offerings with 3Com’s extensive set of solutions, we will enable customers to build a next-generation network infrastructure that supports customer needs from the edge of the network to the heart of the data center.

Expect to see more switches and other networking equipment carry the HP name in the future. This deal was a surprise to many industry insiders.

Source | Data Center Knowledge
Photo | Flickr

Are mega data centers cost effective?

In an attempt to save money, it has been the trend over the last few years for tech companies to reduce their existing data center inventory and invest in several large data centers. Perhaps the most famous instance of this occurring is HP, which cut its IT costs in half by reducing the number of operating data centers from 85 to 6.

While on the surface this seems like a good strategy, there is one hidden expense big business has failed to overlook: property taxes. Microsoft recently discovered this problem when its Quincy, Washington Azure cloud computing facility stopped receiving tax incentives from the local government. A lot of money was invested in the data center, but Microsoft had to close it down because it was no longer possible to break even with the new taxes.

Bigger isn’t always better. It takes hundreds of millions of pounds and many months to build a mega data center, but only a few signatures to sign a tax law yielding it essentially ineffective. The hosting industry is competitive enough and margins are so thin that even a modest increase in taxes could put a provider out of business. As the popular saying goes, never put all your eggs in one basket.

Photo | Flickr