HP Beefs Up Server, Storage Management Software

Hewlett-Packard has unveiled new technology that the company says increases the efficiency of its management software for HP ProLiant and BladeSystem servers.

The new offerings launched Tuesday include the Insight Control Environment, the Systems Insight Manager version 5.1, the Insight Power Manager, the Service Essentials Remote Support Pack, and the Insight Control Linux Edition. The software tools and services are enhancements to HP's Unified Infrastructure Management portfolio.

The Insight Control Environment is for managing HP ProLiant ML and DL servers. Its core management services come from Systems Insight Manager 5.1, which has been upgraded with warranty and service contract reporting. SIM 5.1 provides a unified view of management tools for HP servers and storage hardware.

Insight Power Manager measures and reports on power consumption and inlet air temperature across groups of ProLiant or BladeSystem servers at the rack or data center level. The new product makes it easier for systems administrators to forecast power and cooling requirements, HP said.

The Service Essentials Remote Support Pack integrates with SIM 5.1 to provide an online link to HP support for ProLiant or Linux-based Integrity servers. Features include optional automated support calls to HP, event analysis, and advanced troubleshooting.Insight Control Linux Edition replaces the HP ControlTower. The new product provides server blade management, deployment, and task execution for BladeSystem Linux environments.

The new products are currently available. Pricing starts at $549 for the Insight Control Environment; $99 for the Insight Power Manager; and $199 for the Insight Control Linux Edition. The other products are available at no charge for current customers.