HP updates operating system, servers

At HP World this week, HP is expected to unveil the latest version of its HP-UX operating environment, provide faster processor performance for its AlphaServers, and introduce virtualization architecture for its HP Integrity Servers.

Dogged by poor performance in its server and storage systems division, the company is scheduled to launch HP-UX 11i Version 2 running on both HP 9000 and Integrity servers. HP’s Integrity servers are based on the Intel Itanium processor.

HP-UX 11i v2 includes virtualization and management functions, as well as boasting a 25% performance increase over previous versions for the HP 9000 servers. By having HP-UX run on both HP 9000 and Integrity servers, customers are ensured a clear migration path between the two.

HP-UX now has common administrative functions and maintains source and data compatibility during migrations. HP-UX can be used in servers with as many as 128 processors. Enhancements have been made to its virtualization, high availability and disaster tolerant capabilities.

The HP Virtual Server Environment (VSE), which ships on 60% of HP Integrity and HP 9000 servers, allows systems managers to create pools of virtual resources that can be automatically shifted to meet customer demand. Enhancements to the HP VSE for HP-UX 11i running on the HP Integrity servers include the HP Global Workload Manager, HP Integrity Virtual Machine with multi-operating systems capabilities, and Enhanced Utility Pricing Portfolio.

The Global Workload Manager automates resource allocation among servers. It supports HP-UX 11i as well as Linux. The Virtual Machine with multi-operating systems capabilities optimizes usage by allowing multiple instances of an operating system to share CPUs and I/O resources. The Enhanced Utility Pricing Portfolio lets customers pay for their servers based on actual usage.

In addition, HP is enhancing VSE by including several Serviceguard options for faster failover and support for Oracle RAC and BEA WebLogic Servers. It is also adding secure resource partitions, which allow multiple applications to run on the same system as if they were running on separate systems. HP is also adding HP-UX Virtual Partitions (vPARS), which provides software isolation of operating systems running on Integrity servers.

Future updates to HP-UX will include security containment and resource partitioning features.

HP improved Serviceguard, the company’s high availability and business continuity package, so that a failover time within five seconds can take place.

HP has also enhanced the performance of its AlphaServer products by introducing faster EV7 processors in midrange servers and the higher speed EV7z processor in high end AlphaServers. Both these platforms run Tru64 Unix as well as OpenVMS.

HP offers a 1.5-GHz EV7 processor for its 2-4 processor ES47 server and its 2-8 processor ES80 server. For the 2-64 processor GS1280 server, the company is making available the EV7z processor running at 1.3 GHz.

Further, HP promised to release OpenVMS v8.2 later this year. It will be supported on AlphaServers and HP Integrity servers.