HP drops eight-processor Xeon servers

**MIG-31** · Mar 29, 2005, 09:08 PM

Hewlett-Packard, the top seller of servers using x86 processors such as Intel's Xeon, has followed rival Dell with a decision to retreat from selling models using eight processors.

Dell canceled an eight-processor Xeon server plan in 2003, a decision that dovetails with the company's position that powerful "big iron" servers are being replaced by clusters of lower-end machines. It took HP another generation of chips and crucial supporting components called chipsets to reach a similar decision--although for different reasons.

HP believes that forthcoming Xeon chips that employ dual-processing engines, called cores, will be more popular than full-fledged eight-processor machines, said Colin Lacey, director of platform marketing for the company's industry standard server group. And for powerful machines, HP steers customers to higher-end servers with as dozens of Intel Itanium processors.

"We are not refreshing our eight-socket platforms," Lacey said. "We have determined, based on the performance we anticipate delivering in the x86 space in 2005, that the position of the eight-way will be somewhat marginalized by these next-generation four-way platforms."
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Read More: c|net

nForcer · Mar 30, 2005, 04:56 AM

Makes sense - many enterprise level consumers that looked at 8-way computing are realizing 1/2 the amount can do just as much work - and costs almost as less. That and everything boils down the the bottom line. Why have to maintain more hardware when less can do more?

Mar 29, 2005, 09:08 PM	#1
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,843 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	HP drops eight-processor Xeon servers Hewlett-Packard, the top seller of servers using x86 processors such as Intel's Xeon, has followed rival Dell with a decision to retreat from selling models using eight processors. Dell canceled an eight-processor Xeon server plan in 2003, a decision that dovetails with the company's position that powerful "big iron" servers are being replaced by clusters of lower-end machines. It took HP another generation of chips and crucial supporting components called chipsets to reach a similar decision--although for different reasons. HP believes that forthcoming Xeon chips that employ dual-processing engines, called cores, will be more popular than full-fledged eight-processor machines, said Colin Lacey, director of platform marketing for the company's industry standard server group. And for powerful machines, HP steers customers to higher-end servers with as dozens of Intel Itanium processors. "We are not refreshing our eight-socket platforms," Lacey said. "We have determined, based on the performance we anticipate delivering in the x86 space in 2005, that the position of the eight-way will be somewhat marginalized by these next-generation four-way platforms." _______________ Read More: c\|net __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Mar 30, 2005, 04:56 AM	#2
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	Makes sense - many enterprise level consumers that looked at 8-way computing are realizing 1/2 the amount can do just as much work - and costs almost as less. That and everything boils down the the bottom line. Why have to maintain more hardware when less can do more?