HP Enhances Unified Cluster Portfolio
By CXOtoday Staff
Mumbai, Apr 30, 2007

HP has enhanced its Unified Cluster Portfolio (UCP) to simplify and accelerate configuration, deployment and management of clusters for high-performance computing (HPC).

HP Cluster Platform Express (HPCPE), a pre-configured cluster system offering shortened delivery times and reduced integration costs, now features BladeSystem c-class servers. The servers supports interconnects, increases processor and node support, simplifies management, reduces interconnect and network complexity, high density, power and cooling.

The cluster is available with up to 48 compute nodes, Intel" Xeon or AMD Opteron processors, and a choice of InfiniBand or Gigabit Ethernet cluster interconnects. It also has options for a factory-installed operating system and cluster management software. Customers can select from a menu of components that are then factory assembled to speed up delivery.

"Over the past four years, HP has built a cluster ecosystem that brings many of the pieces for a full clustering environment together and is driving HPC cluster computing further into the mainstream, as shown by their growing market share and market leadership in 2006," said Earl Joseph, program vice president (High Performance Computing) of IDC.

The tools will be offered to customers, certified channel partners and independent software vendors.

Launched in 2004, UCP includes a broad set of industry-standard hardware and software. These building blocks include packaging and wiring, compatibility matrices, and automated verification and configuration tools.

The architecture includes HP ProLiant and Integrity servers, based on AMD Opteron, Intel Xeon and Itanium 2 processors. It offers a wide variety of cluster interconnects, including Ethernet and InfiniBand, and support for Microsoft Windows, Linux and UNIX operating systems. It also offers a broad selection of cluster management and grid software products.