News release

Compaq Delivers Adaptive Infrastructure Capabilities With Industry's First Server to Offer Hot Plug Memory for Greater Intelligent Fault Resilience

Four Next-Generation ProLiant Servers Offer Affordable Performance and Enhanced Availability for Enterprise to SMB Customers

Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ) today announced four new servers including the first server in the industry to support Hot Plug Memory capabilities, providing customers enhanced fault resilience for business-critical enterprise applications. New today are the next-generation ProLiant DL580, a high performance, density-optimized server for enterprise data centers; and the ProLiant ML530, the world's fastest two-processor industry-standard server. Both servers incorporate Compaq's Advanced Memory Protection, a robust architecture that enables improved reliability and protects customers' business critical information and investments. As memory increasingly becomes a key driver of performance, Compaq is providing data center solutions that offer high uptime through protection against memory failures.

Compaq also introduced enhancements in its ProLiant ML350 and ML330 servers designed for corporate workgroups and SMBs. Together, with these four next-generation ProLiant servers and ProLiant Essentials software also announced today (see separate press release), Compaq is delivering industry-standard computing solutions with new levels of performance, intelligent fault resilience, and virtual presence and control.

"By delivering industry-defining technology such as the first industry-standard server with Hot-Plug Mirrored Memory, Compaq is providing customers highly adaptable and fault-tolerant environments with the economics of industry-standard computing," said Brad Anderson, vice president, Mainstream Servers, Compaq Industry Standard Server Group. "With the four new ProLiant server versions announced today, we are extending the ability for companies of all sizes to build an adaptive computing infrastructure, increase system uptime, and reduce operational expenses."

Maximum Computing Power in a 4-Way Server

The next-generation ProLiant DL580 is the first server to offer Hot-Pluggable Mirrored Memory protection for increased fault tolerance in enterprise data center environments by maintaining server availability without requiring service intervention. The ProLiant DL580 server also incorporates the new Intel® Xeon™ processor MP platform, offering customers greater resource efficiencies and the maximum computing power available in a 4-Way, density- and rack-optimized server.

The ProLiant DL580 also offers the latest remote management functionality with Integrated Lights-Out technology that allows remote administration from a standard Web browser without ever having to visit the server. To minimize downtime for customers in business-critical environments, the server's high-availability features also include an integrated RAID controller, a duplex drive cage and hot-plug redundant components.

Robust 2-Way Expansion Server

The next-generation ProLiant ML530 is a robust 2-Way expansion server for business-critical enterprise applications, and the first server of its type to offer Mirrored Memory protection. Ideal for powering database engines or server consolidation solutions, the ProLiant ML530 offers an enterprise class chipset, and the new Intel Xeon processor DP for increased system performance and the ability to handle a significantly greater end-user workload per processor. The ProLiant ML530 also offers PCI-X technology to provide a balanced system platform that optimizes application performance, provides the highest levels of intelligent fault resilience, and simplifies system expansion for reduced servicing downtime.

Addressing Performance and Memory Challenges

Mirrored Memory and Hot-Plug Mirrored Memory are key elements of the unique Compaq Advanced Memory Protection Architecture, designed to address the challenges of memory-related downtime in the data center. Over the years, as server performance and reliability enhancements have increased, so has the probability of memory-related downtime. Compaq is introducing features of its Advanced Memory Protection architecture throughout the ProLiant server line to meet the need for increased main memory capacity and higher reliability, serviceability, and scalability, driving maximum uptime for business-critical applications.

Affordable Server Stability and Availability for Corporate Workgroups and SMBs

Compaq also announced enhanced versions of the ProLiant ML350 and ProLiant ML330 servers today, bringing a new level of server stability to small and medium businesses with integrated ATA RAID. These enhanced servers offer customers manageability, rapid deployment, serviceability, and data protection in a cost-efficient solution. The ProLiant ML330 will be the first server to feature next-generation ATA disk drive capacity with the 80 GB ATA Hard Disk Drive—enabling a lower-cost implementation of ATA RAID by embedding it into the chipset. This in turn enables customers to achieve higher levels of availability via RAID without adding costs to the server.

Delivering the Adaptive Infrastructure

In December 2001, Compaq announced its adaptive infrastructure blueprint 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. The blueprint calls for industry-unifying standards, solutions powered by industry-defining technologies, scalable capabilities for businesses of all sizes, and integrated solutions and services. Compaq is delivering on its blueprint with innovative and intelligent software and hardware capabilities that enable anytime, anywhere management and adaptability, virtual presence and control, and a range of provisioning and management capabilities.

Pricing and Availability

The four next-generation ProLiant servers announced today are shipped with the ProLiant Essentials Foundation Pack management software at no additional charge. The ProLiant DL580 and the ProLiant ML530 will be available mid year with pricing starting at $8,499 (ILP) and $5,199 (ILP), respectively. The ProLiant ML350 with 1.4GHz processor is available in both tower and rack models now starting at $1,949. The ProLiant ML330 with 1.4GHz processor is available now starting at $1,422. For more information on the solutions announced today, please visit the following Web site, which will have updated information on May 6: http://www.compaq.com/products/servers/platforms/new.html.

Company Background

Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a leading global provider of information technology products, services and solutions for enterprise customers. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets information technology equipment, software, services and solutions, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, personal desktop and notebook computers, and personal entertainment and Internet access devices that are sold in more than 200 countries directly and through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com.