News release

Compaq Delivers New Levels of Intelligent Fault Resilience in ProLiant Cluster and Storage Solutions

Broad Portfolio of High Availability Clustering Solutions Enables Adaptive Infrastructures of All Sizes

Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced new industry-standard Compaq high availability cluster and storage solutions that are designed to deliver greater levels of computing availability for customers of all sizes. New intelligent fault resilience technology includes the Compaq Smart Array Cluster Storage, a robust storage system that utilizes industry-standard technology to enable a low-cost, easy-to-deploy and highly manageable storage solution for Compaq ProLiant servers. Compaq also announced new ProLiant clusters that enable businesses to integrate high availability solutions into their business-critical IT infrastructures.

With the expanded portfolio of leading ProLiant cluster offerings, Compaq is delivering on its adaptive infrastructure blueprint by offering intelligent fault resilient technology across the ProLiant line to enable customers to predict, diagnose and rapidly respond to potential and actual fault conditions.

"Whether Compaq's customers are conducting IT operations from distributed and remote locations or a massive data center, ProLiant clustering and storage solutions deliver the flexibility and redundancy that maximize uptime for customers, reduce the risk of data loss, and protect valuable IT investments," said Vince Gayman, vice president, management and high availability, Compaq Industry Standard Server Group. "The intelligent fault resilience built into Compaq ProLiant cluster solutions is a critical component of building adaptive infrastructures that enable businesses to quickly respond to customer demands, ensure business continuance, and evolve their IT environments to achieve competitive advantage while managing costs."

New Compaq High Availability Cluster Solutions

The newest Compaq high availability cluster solutions are built on the ProLiant server platform and the latest storage components such as Smart Array Cluster Storage, StorageWorks MSA 1000 and Enterprise Virtual Array. The new Smart Array Cluster Storage system ensures customers achieve the highest levels of availability with features such as failover Smart Array controllers, redundant power supplies and fans, and Compaq's exclusive Advanced Data Guarding (ADG). The Smart Array Cluster Storage system delivers a new level of economics to customers deploying high availability solutions through simplified cluster configurations that enable two ProLiant servers to direct-attach at zero cost connectivity by leveraging existing integrated Smart Array 5i controllers inside the servers. The Smart Array Cluster Storage system also provides seamless data migration from ProLiant servers and the flexibility to be re-deployed in a SAN environment, if customers' requirements change.

New and enhanced cluster solutions being introduced include:

• The ProLiant DL380 Packaged Cluster, which provides a simplified and cost-effective cluster solution for branch offices or distributed sites. This cluster prepackages two ProLiant DL380 servers and the new Smart Array Cluster Storage, providing an ideal solution for entry-level critical applications.
• New infrastructure clusters, which deliver flexible, entry-level fibre channel cluster solutions on a full range of ProLiant servers and StorageWorks Modular SAN Arrays, combining improved performance, capacity and availability with a modular design.
• New ProLiant server-based enterprise clusters, which ensure maximum reliability for customers who require cost-effective SAN clusters in their business-critical data center environments. Clusters combining the Compaq density-optimized ProLiant DL server line and StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array storage system provide the highest levels of reliability and availability. For customers concerned about disaster tolerance, Compaq also offers stretch clusters that ensure service even when main sites have been compromised.

Enhancing Intelligent Fault Resilience with Partners

The new Compaq ProLiant clustering solutions support a broad range of operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Novell NetWare and Linux. Additionally, Compaq is continuing to enhance its high availability solutions for Oracle databases on ProLiant servers with offerings such as the recently announced Compaq Parallel Database Cluster solution for Oracle9i Real Application Cluster (RAC) in both Microsoft Windows and Linux operating environments.

For more information on the Compaq Smart Array Cluster Storage system, please visit http://www.compaq.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/sharedstorage/sacluster/index.html.

For more information on Compaq ProLiant high availability cluster solutions, please visit http://www.compaq.com/proliant/highavailability.

In December, Compaq announced its blueprint for adaptive infrastructure that enables organizations to adapt to changing market conditions, conserve valuable human and technology resources, and rapidly respond to their customers in a dynamic business environment. As a critical part of this blueprint, ProLiant Cluster offerings enable faster responses to customer demands with solutions like embedded storage connectivity and no-single-points-of-failure configurations. These solutions ensure maximum reliability for enterprise customers, reducing the need for valuable, dedicated IT resources.

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a leading global provider of enterprise technology and solutions. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets hardware, software, solutions and services, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, and desktop and portable personal computers that are sold in more than 200 countries. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.