Hewlett-Packard introduces HP 9000, HP 3000 systems and servers

Surpasses IBM and DEC in price/performance, investment protection

Business Wire

June 24, 1991

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Hewlett-Packard Co., the leading supplier of systems based on RISC technology, Monday announced 16 business systems and servers that it believes will provide the industry's best price/performance for use in enterprise-computing environments.

The new systems, additions to the HP 9000 and HP 3000 computer families, outperform comparably priced IBM and DEC products by up to six times, HP said. With U.S. list prices starting below $13,000, the products also offer system-upgrade growth paths unmatched in the industry, the company said.

The systems are powered by the same Precision Architecture-RISC (PA-RISC) chips used in the world's fastest workstations announced by HP in March 1991. This use of PA-RISC makes HP the only computer company offering compatible RISC-based products, ranging from desktop to enterprisewide data-center systems.

The company also introduced new disk drives for the computers and multivendor-networking software that provides users with remote access to multiple platforms.

``HP's early investment in RISC technology clearly gives us the leadership position with products that surpass IBM's and DEC's offerings,'' said Willem P. Roelandts, HP vice president and general manager of the Networked Systems Group. ``This technology lead, combined with our leadership role in driving industry standards and open systems, gives customers an unprecedented selection of computing solutions.''

The new HP 9000 and HP 3000 systems are targeted at large corporations that demand computer-system compatibility from the deskside to the corporate data center in local-area networks and wide-area networks.

The new HP computers will be used as multifunction or dedicated network servers for applications, databases and communications. These desktop-priced systems are suited for business-critical applications requiring high-performance and commercial functionality that personal computers (PCs) and workstations do not offer.

The computers also can be used by small- to medium-sized businesses. HP value-added resellers (VARs) and a newly formed distributor program will provide additional sales channels for these products. LEADING PRICE/PERFORMANCE

As a result of initial comparisons, HP believes the low-end systems deliver up to six times more performance than the recently introduced IBM AS/400 entry-level systems and the DEC VAX Model 3100s. Midlevel HP 3000 systems are half the price with the same performance as comparable IBM AS/400 and recently repriced DEC VAX 6500 systems.

In addition, HP estimates that the HP 9000 Series 800 provides 50 percent to 100 percent better price/performance than the recently repriced IBM RS/6000.

An efficient, single-RISC-chip implementation makes this price/performance leap possible. SMALL SIZE, HIGH PERFORMANCE

The new HP 9000 Series 800 and the HP 3000 900 Series are slightly larger than the average PC, but offer performance comparable to high- end IBM and DEC minicomputer systems. For example, HP can provide the functionality and expandability of an IBM AS/400 D70 or DEC VAX/6510 minicomputer in its 17-inch tall system -- one ninth the size of comparable systems.

Because these systems are integrated at the factory, they are easier to install at the customer's site and consequently less expensive to support.

Integrated with the systems are new disk drives that provide double the capacity at half the cost per Mbyte of current HP disk drives. INVESTMENT PROTECTION

Increased performance and system capacity are available across all the new systems through simple, non-disruptive field upgrades. HP also has reduced U.S. list prices on its board-upgrade packages for its existing systems by up to 41 percent, allowing installed-base customers to upgrade to the same price/performance level as the new systems.

``Customers need more than pure price/performance,'' said Roelandts. ``They evaluate an open-systems vendor on its ability to help them solve business problems and protect their technology investment. HP's strength in all three areas makes our customers happy and our competitors nervous.'' ENHANCED MULTIVENDOR CAPABILITY

The new HP OpenView Datacommunications and Terminal Controller (DTC) Manager software Release 10.5 adds multivendor, open-systems functionality and remote access for desktop users connected to the network. This release transforms the DTC into an end-user communications server that provides access to multiple platforms including all HP platforms and any vendor's host that runs industry- standard Telnet Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. LEADING COMMERCIAL SYSTEM RELIABILITY

Key features of the systems such as power-fail recovery, auto- restart and disk-mirroring help customers keep their businesses operating 24 hours a day. These features help ensure the reliability of systems and servers used by hundreds of employees in large companies.

Currently, HP hardware provides mean-time-between-failures of more than 43,000 hours -- about 5 years. Existing HP 9000 and HP 3000 customers typically report an average of 99.7 percent system uptime and 99.95 percent uptime through comprehensive, high-availability solutions, according to company data. PA-RISC LEADERSHIP

HP was the first major vendor to deliver commercial systems based on RISC technology. PA-RISC was designed in a simple, modular fashion to accommodate future technology.

More than 3,500 RISC applications and tools, including industry- leading, third-party software, are available on these systems.

Customers can create networks of computers that work together in a client-server environment to make information and computing resources easier to find, share, use and manage. U.S. LIST PRICES, AVAILABILITY AND LEASING PLAN

All systems can be ordered immediately. SCHEDULED PRODUCT PRICE AVAILABILITY HP 9000 Model 807S $12,895 August 1991 Model 817S 20,000 August 1991 Model 827S 25,000 September 1991 Model 837S 43,000 August 1991 Model 847S 65,000 September 1991 Model 857S 95,000 September 1991 Prices include PA-RISC system, HP-UX operating system, standard memory and disk drive, console and digital-audio tape (DAT) drive. SCHEDULED PRODUCT PRICE AVAILABILITY HP 3000 Series 917LX $ 14,500 October Series 927LX 18,000 October Series 937LX 32,000 October Series 937 42,000 October Series 947LX 37,000 October Series 947 68,000 October Series 957LX 65,000 October Series 957 100,000 October Series 967LX 110,000 October Series 967 170,000 October

Prices include PA-RISC system, MPE/XL operating system, standard memory, disk drive consol and DAT drive.

To overcome cash-flow, budget-cycle or balance-sheet hurdles, customers may choose from HP's full range of leasing plans, starting at just $260 to $300 per month. HP financing plans allow future growth with attractive upgrade and add-on options.

Hewlett-Packard Co. is an international manufacturer of measurement and computation products and systems recognized for excellence in quality and support. The company's products and services are used in industry, business, engineering, science, medicine and education in approximately 100 countries. HP has 91,500 employees and had revenue of $13.2 billion in its 1990 fiscal year. NOTE: RISC stands for reduced-instruction-set computing HP-UX is based on and is compatible with USL's UNIX operating system. It also complies with X/Open's XPG3, POSIX 1003.1 and SVID2 interface specifications. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories Inc. in the U.S.A. and other countries. X/Open is a trademark of X/Open Company Limited in the UK and other countries. NOTE TO THE EDITOR: SALES INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 1-800-752-0900. Please do NOT use editor-contact or corporate telephone numbers for sales information. Information in this release applies specifically to products available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets. If you choose to review this item, fastest response to your readers' inquiries will be assured by mailing them to HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY INQUIRIES, 19310 PRUNERIDGE AVE., CUPERTINO, CALIF. 95014.

CONTACT: Hewlett-Packard Co., Cupertino Melissa Calvo, 408/447-5456 or Jim Christensen, 408/447-1678 09:01 ET

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