News release

Compaq Redefines Server Value, Delivering the First ProLiant Essentials Value Pack Software for Adaptive Infrastructures

Next Generation ProLiant DL360 Server Resets Standard for 1U Computing

Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced the availability of the first ProLiant Essentials Value Pack software for ProLiant servers, providing customers with easy-to-use software tools that deliver enhanced virtual presence and control, automated multi-server deployment, and workload management for large SMP servers. In addition, Compaq also announced the latest generation of the density-optimized ProLiant DL360 server, the industry's most popular⁽¹⁾ 1U (one Unit) server, delivering customers new levels of performance, intelligent fault resilience, and embedded virtual presence and control capabilities.

"Compaq has outlined a vision for adaptive infrastructures to address customers' dynamic business environments by continuing to fulfill the need for more efficient and manageable solutions that enable customers to adapt their IT infrastructures and increase the agility of their business," said Paul Santeler, vice president of management, networking and high availability, Compaq Industry Standard Server Group. "The ProLiant Essentials Value Packs that we are introducing today give our customers the flexibility and control that they need in their IT environment to maintain a competitive edge."

ProLiant Essential Value Packs

Critical to adaptive infrastructures, ProLiant Essentials systems software is designed to reduce lifecycle ownership costs for customers of all sizes across their server infrastructures, and improve utilization of their scarce resources. The new ProLiant Essentials Value Packs announced today can be purchased to address specific customer requirements and complement the ProLiant Server Set Up and Management Pack software that comes standard with ProLiant servers, including Compaq Insight Manager and SmartStart.

Today's ProLiant Essentials Value Packs include:

• The Integrated Lights-Out Advanced Pack - a software upgrade option, with free future upgrades to Virtual CD capabilities, for the Integrated Lights-Out management processor that enables a more advanced feature suite such as Virtual Graphical Console and Virtual Floppy capabilities.
• The Rapid Deployment Pack - available for ProLiant ML, DL, and BL servers, enables customers to achieve automated systems provisioning in their data centers. This software was jointly developed by Compaq and Altiris (see lead press release).
• The Workload Management Pack - provides a software option for dynamic resource scaling, enabling customers to deploy multiple applications on 4- and 8-processor ProLiant servers, increasing server utilization in Microsoft Windows 2000 environments.

Powerful 1U ProLiant Server Packs More for the Data Center

The new ProLiant DL360 server delivers increased performance and availability in 1U design with two embedded GB Ethernet NICs, hot-plug drives, two full-length I/O slots, and embedded SmartArray technology that will be upgradable to battery back/write cache-ready. This density-optimized server is also the first ProLiant server to ship with the new Compaq Integrated Lights-Out technology, enabling virtual presence and control with management capabilities from anywhere at any time via the Internet, and further improving cable management in crowded data centers. Combined, the new intelligent technologies in this server provide customers with the highest levels of performance, availability, manageability, and flexibility per U.

"Compaq continues its tradition in setting new standards for density in the data center," said Brad Anderson, vice president of mainstream servers, Compaq Industry Standard Server Group. "The ProLiant DL360 is the first step in our strategy to make virtual presence and control pervasive throughout the data center by embedding intelligent technologies that deliver considerable cost savings by enhancing speed of response to issues and reducing travel costs, giving our customers a competitive edge."

Integrated Lights-Out Standard functionality is now provided with the ProLiant DL360 server via an embedded ASIC on the motherboard, and can be upgraded for enhanced functionality with the ProLiant Essentials Integrated Lights-Out Advanced Pack. All ProLiant customers can achieve this functionality with the addition of a Compaq Remote Insight Lights-Out Edition option board.

Pricing and Availability

The ProLiant DL360 is available immediately with pricing starting at $2679. For more details please visit www.compaq.com/products/servers/proliantdl360/index.html.

The ProLiant Set Up and Management Pack, which will transition to the ProLiant Essentials Foundation Pack, ships standard at no charge with every Compaq ProLiant server. For more information please visit www.compaq.com/products/servers/proliantessentials/index.html. The ProLiant Essentials Value Packs are available immediately and are priced at $119 per server for the ProLiant Rapid Deployment Pack, $1875 per server for the ProLiant Work Load Management Pack; and $399 per server for the ProLiant Integrated Lights-out Advanced Pack. For more information please visit www.compaq.com/products/servers/proliantessentials/index.html.

Delivering the Adaptive Infrastructure Strategy

In December 2001, 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. Specifically the adaptive infrastructure blueprint requires innovative and intelligent software and hardware capabilities that enable anytime, anywhere management and adaptability, enabling virtual presence and control and a range of provisioning and management capabilities.

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.