HP Expands Virtualization

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- HP today announced breakthrough networking, storage and server technologies that reduce costs, increase bandwidth flexibility and improve overall performance of virtual server environments.

As more companies apply server virtualization to gain operational savings of their technology infrastructures, the costs of networking virtual servers are spiraling out of control. A typical server hosting virtual machines needs an average of six network connections. This requires companies to invest in extra networking equipment, including network expansion cards, switches and cables.

Additionally, current network connection technologies are inflexible. The only way to increase bandwidth as virtual server workloads and applications scale is to purchase expensive network switches.

HPs new Virtual Connect 10 Gigabit (Gb) Flex-10 Ethernet module is the world’s first interconnect technology to eliminate these costly network hardware upgrades and increase bandwidth flexibility. Customers deploying virtual machines with Virtual Connect Flex-10 can realize savings up to 55 percent in network equipment costs.(2)

Additionally, by leveraging Virtual Connect Flex-10 companies achieve power savings of 240 watts per HP BladeSystem enclosure, or 2,700 kilowatt hours per year. (3) How are the power savings achieved? We need to explain this simply here.

“Today’s innovations help customers eliminate the barriers to virtualization while lowering acquisition and operating costs,” said Mark Potter, vice president and general manager, HP BladeSystem. “As virtualization becomes ubiquitous, customers need new technologies that take the benefits of virtualization to the next level. Virtual Connect Flex-10 gives customers the greatest return on their virtualization investments. Looking forward, we believe that every server will be Virtual Connect Flex-10 enabled.”

Hewlett-Packard Co.