Additional comments:
Smart Handhelds
Decision: The Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC re-named the HP iPAQ Pocket PC, will be our smart handheld platform. The best of the current HP Jornada technology will be engineered into the platform. Jornada products will be phased out of the market in 2002. HP will continue to innovate in wireless, mobility and voice technology. HP also will offer the iPAQ Blackberry device for end-to-end wireless e-mail solutions, under the HP brand.
Comments: Basically since the iPAQ seems to have all the answers for the handheld world (it's faster, easier, expandable, and stylish), HP is going to keep it in circulation and implement a few features from the Jornada. So this will only impact you if you are a die-hard Jornada fan and don't want to start saying you own an HP iPAQ. If there is a difference for you, it is definitely a change for the better.
Workstations
Decision: We will incorporate the strength of Compaq's Windows NT workstations to form the industry's broadest, most comprehensive product line. HP will continue to drive 64-bit platform leadership for the most demanding applications with today's PA-RISC and upcoming workstations based on the Intel Itanium Processor Family. HP workstations will provide great value across the industry-leading 32- and 64-bit operations system environments: Windows, Linux and HP-UX.
Comments: Not much change here. Compaq strong points will be woven into HP's already existing solution for workstations giving you the best of both worlds.
Business PCs and Notebooks
Decision: Business desktop PCs and notebooks will migrate to the Compaq platform over the next 9-12 months. Both will carry the Compaq name. This will enable HP to leverage Compaq's strong market share and brand recognition in the commercial PC market. The HP Vectra products will be phased out in line with current published roadmaps, but we will continue to offer HP's highly successful e-pc line under the HP brand. The HP Omnibook products will continue to be offered through 2002.
Comments: Since HP never did seem to get a handle on the business pc and notebook market they are moving to Compaq which has proven to work. This should make life a lot easier for those of us who have to support business pc's and notebooks. This should definitely be an upgrade from the HP systems we were using in the past. Assuming that HP will let a good thing lie and not "HP-ize" it.
IA-32 Servers
Before the merger, HP and Compaq both had IA-32 server offerings: the Compaq Proliant and the HP NetServer (and more recently under the new name of HP Server).
Decision: Moving forward, the Proliant servers will be HP's IA-32 server offering. They will be named HP ProLiant servers. In the transition to the ProLiant name, we will also transition to the server-attached storage (Smart Array), rack, rack option and power infrastructure, and systems management families used today with ProLiant platforms. The ProLiant Essentials software offerings will also move forward. In addition, the low-end HP Servers tc2210 and tc2100 will continue to be offered but will not be re-branded as HP ProLiant servers. For the growing market for blade servers, we will continue to offer the ProLiant blade server architecture for the data center. We also will offer HP's blade server optimized for the telecommunications market.
As customers' transition to ProLiant servers, NetServer customers can continue to use their Toptools console, migrate to Insight Manager 7 or use a combination. More detailed benefits for customers and how-to information on transitioning to the Insight Management Suite will be made available on the HP Web site.
Rationale: Compaq products hold the No. 1 market position in industry-standard servers worldwide, according to the latest IDC market data, and have done so since 1992. The combination of broad customer acceptance, outstanding performance, ease of management and favorable total cost of ownership made the ProLiant name the clear choice as HP's IA-32 server.
Comments: No surprises here either. HP has decided to stay with a good thing. Top Tools is being phased out by Insight Manager 7. This should be easier to use and provide some functionality that wasn't available in the past. Since you have your choice it is totally up to you. HP's blade server will be offered optimized for the telecommunications market also the HP ProLiant (former Compaq) blade server will be offered for data centers. This emphasizes the strengths of the already existing products.
Itanium Servers
HP and Compaq are both selling Intel Itanium Processor Family servers today, primarily to meet the needs of early adopter customers and developers. Our commitment to the Itanium Processor Family remains very strong, and we continue to see Itanium as the future 64-bit microprocessor.
Decision: The next-generation Itanium Processor Family servers (McKinley-based) will be the previously published HP Server roadmap, augmented by features from the ProLiant IA-64 roadmap. By the release of the third generation Itanium processor (Madison), HP will offer Itanium-based servers from the low end to the high end of our product line, including HP NonStop Itanium servers. AlphaServer systems will be focused on the Alpha installed base, high performance technical computing and other areas like Oracle 9i RAC where unique value-add is provided.
Our Industry Standard Server and Business Critical System business units will jointly deliver the Itanium-based server family roadmap supporting multiple operating environment in all relevant markets. In addition, HP will, over time, enhance its original plans by including the ProLiant management capabilities into Itanium servers.
Rationale: This decision was based on the expected customer adoption of the Itanium servers. The customers who will initially purchase Itanium servers are the ones who require 64-bit computing. Today, these customers use RISC-based servers. The HP roadmap gives HP a broad range of Itanium-based servers supporting multiple operating systems. It also gives HP PA-RISC customers outstanding investment protection with in-the-box upgrades for 4-way servers and above.
Comments: Again HP takes the best-of-the-best approach. They will continue their development on the Itanium Processor Family and implement features from the ProLiant IA-64 project such as the ProLiant management capabilities.
RISC-based Servers
The combination of the HP PA-RISC and the Compaq AlphaServer families gives HP a strong position in the RISC and UNIX(r) marketplace. Moving forward, our focus on the Itanium architecture will be balanced with the need to meet our customers' requirements today for high performance, scalability and availability.
Decision: HP will continue with the previously published roadmaps for both PA-RISC and AlphaServer systems. HP will continue development of the PA-8800 and PA-8900 processors, as well as the EV7 and EV79 Alpha processors. The roles of these two families will be quite different. The PA-RISC servers will be targeted at the PA-RISC installed base and all new business opportunities. AlphaServer systems will be primarily focused on the Alpha installed base and high-performance technical computing.
Rationale: We want to reinforce our commitment to our customers by following the roadmaps we had already established. We're leading with PA-RISC for new business opportunities for two reasons: First, the PA-RISC systems will, in most cases, be upgradeable in the box to future Itanium microprocessors. Second, HP-UX is the long-term UNIX for HP.
Comments: HP will continue to develop the PA-RISC processors at least through PA8900. This will allow you to migrate to the Itanium at your convenience. According to HP this should be an easy process. PA-RISC binaries should run on systems based on the IPF without having to recompile. Many applications will be ported and ready to run on the Itanium that currently run on HP-UX, Linux and Windows 2000 platforms. In summary, although the PA-RISC is going away in the future the road to migrating should be a smooth and straight path (well maybe a few potholes).
Fault Tolerant Servers
One of the exciting additions to the HP offering is the fault-tolerant NonStop server family from Compaq, which will now be known as the HP NonStop Server. Since HP did not have a similar offering, the roadmap decisions are very simple.
Decision: There are no changes to the previous NonStop server roadmap. This includes the two planned MIPS processor upgrades and the transition to Itanium. Rationale: Customer availability requirements continue to increase. Having a fault-tolerant offering will help HP continue to be the high-availability leader. As a result, continuing with the NonStop server roadmap positions HP to meet the needs of our customers.
Comments: Since HP doesn't have anything in this area this is just an added bonus and will not affect HP users unless of course you decide to give it a try. Then the impact is up to you.
UNIX
HP and Compaq both offered UNIX operating systems: HP-UX and Compaq Tru64 UNIX.
Decision: HP-UX will be the long-term UNIX for the new HP. Tru64 UNIX has some very advanced features -- including clustering and file systems -- and some of those will be integrated into HP-UX over time.
Rationale: HP-UX has a much larger market share and installed base of customers. It also has much broader ISV support than Tru64 UNIX.
HP also will deliver on the previously announced Compaq OpenVMS roadmap, including the port to Itanium.
Comments: Well, all we can say is that Tru64 and OpenVMS users are going to be upset but they knew their roadmap before the merger. It doesn't impact the HP-UX users except that we'll get some new features to play with such as the Tru64 clustering and file systems.
Storage
Both Compaq and HP have very robust storage portfolios, so we are in the enviable position of being able to develop a roadmap based on the best of the best.
Key Overall Decisions: While we are making many individual product decisions encompassing products and strategies from both organizations, we will adopt the Compaq StorageWorks name (re-named HP StorageWorks) for storage and storage solutions, HP OpenView as the name for storage software, and ENSA (Enterprise Network Storage Architecture) as the name for our architecture going forward.
Comments: We can take a wait and see attitude with this one. There are no specifics offered here but it does sound promising. Hopefully we will not be disappointed.
Recap: The end result of the merger leaves HP users with the following platforms to choose from:
- RISC-based Servers running HP-UX with Tru64 enhancements,
- Fault Tolerant Servers: HP Non-Stop
- IA-32 Servers: Compaq Proliant
- Blade Servers: both Compaq and HP
- HP IPF (Itanium Processor Family) server with Compaq IPF features, Compaq OpenVMS (ported to IPF), HP-UX with Tru64 enhancements (ported to IPF)
- Compaq iPAQ with added HP Jornada technology
- Linux of multiple flavors
- Business PCs and Notebooks using Compaq platform, HP e-pc line
- Consumer PCs and Notebooks using both Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion
- Thin Clients: Compaq line of thin clients and HP e-pc
- Imaging and Printing: all HP
- Compaq AlphaServer through 2006, supported to 2011 (but operating flavors ported to IPF)
- HP e3000 through 2003, supported to 2006
As this merger event unfolds, there will be much offered over the next 18-36 months. Short term, not much has changed, but the combination of technologies will only enhance the products offered in the mid and long-term.
Be sure to register for HP World 2002 or the co-located InterWorks 2002, to get the latest on the merger, the roadmap, and the future of the HP technology.
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