News release

HP Makes Blade Technology Easier to Buy and Own for Small Businesses

HP today announced the availability of new HP BladeSystem solutions for small and medium business (SMB) customers and new training materials to help channel partners more effectively sell blade solutions.

Highlighting the offering is the availability of a new, affordable 1U power enclosure with up to six hot-plug power supplies that is ideal for smaller, single-enclosure deployments of server and network blades. The power supply provides both power and AC line cord redundancy.

This HP BladeSystem solution also provides backward compatibility, allowing SMBs to leverage previous IT investments by fitting into the same rack as existing HP servers, storage and networking devices. It can also be "scaled" affordably because new server, storage and network capacity can be added as a company's needs grow. Pricing for the 1U power enclosure starts at $1,199.⁽¹⁾

The power supply can also be purchased as part of a bundled solution to help a business get started on an HP BladeSystem implementation. The bundle includes one HP ProLiant server blade, an HP BladeSystem enclosure, a new 1U power enclosure with two power supplies, and management software. Pricing for this entry-level bundle starts at $3,099.⁽¹⁾

The new solutions and training are part of HP's Blades for Business program, one of three simple categories of the HP ProLiant Business Advantage program, which provides industry-standard server solutions for SMB customers.

Originally announced in March, the HP ProLiant Business Advantage Program expands on the HP Smart Office initiative, which provides SMB customers and the channel partners that serve them with education, services, marketing tools and expert guidance to simplify IT purchasing decisions.

HP BladeSystem Management Suite helps reduce costs, simplify server management

HP also offers a software-only version of its HP BladeSystem Management Suite. The software suite provides SMB customers with everything they need to deploy, optimize and secure their new HP BladeSystem, including tools to simplify management, automate deployment, optimize performance and perform software patch and vulnerability maintenance.

This software suite can be used to acquire eight licenses for an existing blade enclosure or along with the BladeSystem Management Suite Enclosure Bundle to get a total of 16 licenses to support a dense enclosure using BL30p or BL35p blades. Starting at $1,192,⁽¹⁾ the bundle provides customers a 44 percent cost savings over purchasing all of the licenses individually.

New care pack service makes HP BladeSystem installation easier for SMB customers

HP BladeSystem solutions are supported by an extensive portfolio of services provided by HP professionals who work with an industry-leading global network of partners to draw on their combined, extensive experience in the design, delivery and management of blade solutions.

To meet increasing customer demand for an integrated start-up service for HP BladeSystem infrastructure, HP Services has developed a new care pack offer, the HP Installation and Startup for BladeSystem Infrastructure, to assist with the efficient and effective installation of HP blade servers, enclosures, operating systems and management tools.

HP provides local experts tools to help SMBs understand benefits of HP BladeSystems

HP has made training, marketing tools and incentives available for channel partners to help them better sell, deliver and service HP BladeSystem solutions to their SMB customers. Available now, the HP BladeSystem Partner Sales kit provides channel partners a quick overview of the latest promotions, channel training, products, services and collateral available to help make BladeSystem sales.

In addition, North America and EMEA partners currently authorized or participating in the Partner Sell and Deliver ProLiant Segment of the Authorized Service Delivery Partner (ASDP) program can also now deliver HP BladeSystem HW Maintenance Support Services, which include hardware break-fix, warranty and post-warranty services.

Starting later this month, the Americas Partner Portal will include links to the Blades for Business Solution Guide, web-based training, links to information about the worldwide HP ProLiant Roadshow, customer collateral, customizable direct marketing templates and solutions guide. A Blades for Business webinar is also planned.

The roadshow will bring HP BladeSystem solutions to customers and channel partners in countries around the world for hands-on demonstrations of how blade server technology can help SMBs solve business problems. The roadshow will visit more than 40 North America, 20 EMEA and eight Asia-Pacific cities during its tour.

Unlike individual rack-mount components, HP BladeSystem solutions are modular solutions that integrate servers, storage, networking equipment, power and management software. Affordable and scalable, HP BladeSystem solutions are ideally suited for companies looking to grow their infrastructure incrementally, consolidate to a standardized platform or build a new business with limited resources. They help reduce management costs, cabling complexity and power consumption to provide a lower total cost of ownership than traditional rack-mount server environments, and thus a better return on IT investment.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2005, HP revenue totaled $81.8 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

⁽¹⁾ Estimated U.S. Internet HP list price. Actual price may vary.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including the expected development, performance or rankings of products or services; statements of expectation or belief; and any statement of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the development, performance and market acceptance of products and services and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended Jan. 31, 2005, and other reports filed after HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2004. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.