The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

HP sharpens blades with Cisco networking tech

Gigabit Ethernet to the max

Free whitepaper – Power and Cooling Capacity Management for Data Centers

HPis to integrate Cisco's network switch technology into HP's BladeSystem architecture. The technology pact, predicted by El Reg last September, makes it easier for customers to buy blade server systems and optimise their performance and reliability within datacentre environments.

A new Cisco Gigabit Ethernet switch module, specially designed for the purpose, will plug into HP's p-class Bladeserver. The product ships this months and will be sold exclusively through HP and its resellers.

Rick Becker, HP general manager for BladeSystema, said the Cisco deal means HP can simplify "network and management integration while reducing complexity and cost".

The company claims its blade systems are 16 per cent cheaper to buy than comparable rack-based systems and cost less to support once they’re up and running.

HP hopes that improved networking capabilities will boost the appeal of its blade server kit. IBM led the blade server market with 44 per cent share of the $287m segment in the third quarter of 2004, according to IDC. ®

Related stories

RLX quits blade server biz, whacks most of staff
IBM touts poor man's blade server box
IBM proclaims open blade spec a success
HP gets vague about Opteron and Itanium blades
HP summarizes blade strategy with new marketing term
HP gears up for Opteron server binge

Free whitepaper – Fundamental Principles of Air Conditioners for Information Technology

Don’t Miss

Mouse teaserOpenOffice.org pushes gamers' buttons with OOMouse

Retains 'burning hatred' for Microsoft, not Apple

Intel logo teaserBig Iron, big data, big networks, big problems

Interview Intel's Wilf Pinfold talks us through SC09

SpectraLogic logoSpectra launches T-Finity, plans beyond

Aims to outshine Sun

HP LogoHP scores SMB storage hat-trick

Disk, DAT and the other