News release

HP Introduces Servers, Customer Management Portfolio to Reduce Costs for Midsize Businesses

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HP today announced two affordable, power-efficient HP ProLiant servers as well as the market’s first Quad-Core AMD Opteron™ processor-based x86 platforms.

In addition, the company is offering an expanded customer relationship management (CRM) portfolio, Linux-based management tools and remote access technology.

All of the products and solutions are designed to help small to midsize businesses reduce costs, improve security and better manage customer relationships.

According to an AMI-Partners report,⁽¹⁾ this year more than 60 percent of midmarket companies⁽²⁾ surveyed plan to invest in technology specifically for customer relationship management and secure remote access.

“Through extensive research and customer interaction, HP has gained valuable insight into the needs of midsize business customers,” said Urs Renggli, director, worldwide small and midmarket business, Technology Solutions Group, HP. “As a result, we can deliver customized, affordable and effective technology designed specifically for them.”

Affordable, power-efficient HP ProLiant servers

The new HP ProLiant BL260c G5 offers customers the most power-efficient and affordable server blade in the industry. The BL260c costs 20 percent less⁽³⁾ and is 64 percent more power-efficient⁽⁴⁾ than any other blade on the market. The BL260c, for use with the award-winning HP BladeSystem c3000 and c7000 enclosures, is designed for branch offices and remote sites with small or virtualization-based environments. It supports CRM, enterprise resource planning, database applications, web applications, file/print services and high-performance computing.

HP also introduced the HP ProLiant DL120 G5, the most affordable rack-optimized HP ProLiant server available. The single-processor DL120 features the latest Intel® Xeon® technology and offers midsize businesses improved efficiency.

In addition, HP is first to market with Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based x86 servers for customers of all sizes. The energy-efficient servers deliver improved processor performance as well as large memory footprints and storage capacities. They are ideal for demanding business and scale-out applications as well as virtualization deployments.

In all, these eight blade, rack and tower models can save customers money through server consolidation and lower energy costs.

Expanded CRM configuration options

HP has integrated next-generation server and storage technologies into HP-approved midsize Microsoft® Dynamics CRM configurations that can significantly reduce deployment time and support a customer-centric business strategy. Additionally, new Oracle® Siebel CRM Professional Edition configurations, validated by Oracle, offer midsize companies an affordable and easy-to-manage solution.

To meet the growing demand for robust Linux-based solutions for midsize businesses, HP introduced:

• Five HP-approved Oracle database configurations for HP BladeSystem and ProLiant systems running on Linux. These configurations provide support for 75 to 400 users, reduce time to deployment and lower costs.
• HP Insight Control Environment for Linux, a complete, easy-to-deploy Linux management solution. It features powerful Linux cluster technology that improves application performance, which can sharpen a business’s competitive edge.

Mobile security for midsize companies

HP also announced HP Secure Remote Access, which helps midsize businesses customers create sales opportunities by offering convenient, secure and complete access to critical business information from anywhere at any time. It interfaces with other HP devices, such as desktop PCs, thin clients, business notebooks, tablet PCs, iPAQ handhelds and smartphones. HP Secure Remote Access includes Citrix Access Essentials, Microsoft Windows® Server 2003 and Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 R2.

“HP offers midsize businesses like ours the opportunity to manage customers using technology that is easy to use and mitigates risk,” said Henry Chace, chief information officer at Burns & Levinson, a Boston-based legal firm with 260 employees. “This allows us to focus on our core mission of providing clients with the services they need.”

HP reinforces channel support

As part of a continuing effort to empower channel members, HP also announced an advanced online configuration tool to help value-added resellers and other channel partners quickly and easily select the best configuration for their customers’ business applications.

“We are very happy with HP’s comprehensive product portfolio. It allows our midsize business clients to grow and create incremental revenue opportunities,” said Romi Randawa, president, HPM Networks, an HP-certified reseller based in Fremont, Calif. “The fact that HP continues to invest in its channel shows a true commitment to the midsize market.”

Availability and pricing

All products, services and solutions are available today. Pricing for the HP ProLiant BL260c G5 starts at $1,199 and the HP ProLiant DL120 G5 at $699.⁽⁵⁾ Pricing of the CRM solutions is available through HP channel partners and varies based on the number of users or capacity requirements.

About HP

HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers – from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world’s largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $107.7 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

⁽¹⁾ AMI-Partners, “2007-08 WW Medium Business IT Infrastructure Market research,” Feb. 4, 2008, based on AMI’s annual tracking studies conducted in 14 countries.

⁽²⁾ HP defines midmarket as market of midsize businesses with100-999 employees.

⁽³⁾ Compared to the lowest price configuration of the Dell M600 server blade available on Dell’s website.

⁽⁴⁾ Based on HP internal benchmarks.

⁽⁵⁾ Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

AMD and AMD Opteron are trademarks or registered trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. Intel and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corp. in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corp. and/or its affiliates.

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 but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected results; and other risks that are described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2008 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.