HP and Microsoft Deliver World’s Fastest Transaction Processing Performance



Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stands next to an HP Superdome server running the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition and SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition (64-bit), which recently broke the single-system TPC-C (OLTP) benchmark world record for transactions per second. Click on the photo for a larger image.

PALO ALTO, Calif., and REDMOND, Wash. April 24, 2003 HP and Microsoft Corp. today announced the worlds fastest single-system TPC-C (OLTP) benchmark result of 658,277 transactions per second. (1) The TPC-C benchmark, independently verified by an authorized TPC auditor, is recognized as being among the most complex online transaction processing benchmarks in the industry.

HP, Microsoft, and Intel have collaborated to demonstrate superior performance and scalability for enterprises running the Microsoft® Windows® operating system. The HP Superdome server based on the Intel® Itanium® 2 processor (code-named Madison), running the 64-bit version of Windows Server™ 2003 Datacenter Edition and SQL Server™
2000 Enterprise Edition (64-bit), is expected to deliver unprecedented customer value and return on investment, as demonstrated by its industry-leading high-end price to performance ratio of $9.80/tpmC. (1)

“We are extremely pleased with todays record-breaking benchmark result and believe that it is solid proof that HP has the technology and database solutions expertise to deliver Windows OLTP performance like no other vendor,”
said Scott Stallard, senior vice president, HP Business Critical Systems.
“HPs Itanium 2-based servers will extend Microsoft Windows further into the data center, enabling massive SQL Server database growth, and driving greater IT efficiencies at a decreased cost — capabilities not available from our competitors.”

This benchmark result beats all competing platforms results, including NEC by almost 30 percent, and significantly outperforms systems from IBM, Unisys and Fujitsu by more than 40 percent. (2) In addition, it produced the best price/performance metric for all systems greater than 16 processors, offering customers exceptional performance at a lower cost than proprietary systems. (1) For the HP Superdome server, the results continue the long-term performance gains and price/performance improvements experienced since its introduction in 2000, resulting in superior investment protection.

“Todays record-breaking result demonstrates the high performance and low cost HP and Microsoft 64-bit solutions can deliver to customers who are seeking alternatives to expensive database solutions,”
said Gordon Mangione, corporate vice president for SQL Server, Microsoft.
“This is another historic milestone for Microsoft SQL Server as we continue with our partners to deliver unprecedented price/performance for our customers.”

HP and Microsoft customers will have the option to scale-up the Windows database server that supports their enterprise application environments. In addition, customers can further reduce total cost of ownership and improve return on investment by consolidating multiple distributed databases into a single database, running on a scalable and highly available server.

“The Itanium processor family has consistently demonstrated industry-leading performance across a spectrum of enterprise applications that truly matter to IT managers,”
said Mike Fister, senior vice president and general manager, Intel Enterprise Platforms Group.
“Todays 64-way TPC-C result on the forthcoming Itanium 2 processor extends Intels performance leadership beyond even the largest and most expensive RISC servers now available, solidifying Itaniums place in high-end enterprise computing.”

To achieve this record-breaking result, the HP Superdome server was configured with 64 of the next generation of Itanium processors, 512 GB of memory and an HP StorageWorks Modular SAN Array 1000. HP plans to release the Itanium-based Superdome server later this year.

“Our data warehouse and decision support system will ultimately be made available to more than 5,000 financial advisors nationwide as well as thousands of employees,”
said Tim Eitel, chief information officer, Raymond James.
“The HP Itanium 2-based Superdome server running 64-bit versions of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition offers superior performance and unmatched scalability, giving us the ability to handle a massive database and data warehouse solution while lowering our total cost of ownership.”

The Itanium 2-based HP Superdome server is designed to provide customers running Windows with an enterprise-class, industry-standard architecture that delivers superior performance and scalability at the best performance and price.

The server also is being built to provide optimal resource utilization with hard partitioning, increased flexibility with the ability to run Windows in separate partitions, high availability for continuous and secure operations, and lasting value through a long-term evolution path that meets the changing business needs of customers.

Further establishing HP as the performance leader with Windows Server 2003, the HP Server rx5670, based on the forthcoming Itanium 2 processor (Madison), posted record-breaking OLTP performance by achieving 121,065.13 tpmC. The result eclipses the next best four-way IA-32 server performance result from Dell by more than 65 percent and exceeds leading eight-way IA-32 performance offered by IBM and Unisys at a significantly less expensive $4.97/ tpmC. (3)

Windows Server 2003 is a comprehensive, integrated and secure infrastructure designed to help customers reduce costs and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of IT operations. Building on Windows 2000 family strengths, the new server platform helps customers extend existing resources while laying the foundation for building a new generation of connected applications that improve business productivity. More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/ .

More information on the HP Superdome server and its record-breaking benchmarks is available at http://www.hp.com/products1/servers/scalableservers/superdome/itanium.html.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software any time, any place and on any device.

About HP

HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The companys offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its acquisition of Compaq Computer Corporation on May 3, 2002. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com .

(1) HP 9000 Superdome 658,277 tpmC, at $9.80/tpmC, available Oct. 23, 2003.

(2) IBM p690, 427,760 tpmC, at $17.75/tpmC, available May 31, 2003.

Unisys ES7000, 234,325 tpmC, at $11.59/tpmC, available May 2, 2003.

Fujitsu PrimePower 2000 455,818 tpmC, at $28.58/tpmC, available Feb. 28, 2003.

NEC Express5800, 514,034 tpmC, at $11.50/tpmC, available Oct. 22, 2003.

(3) HP rx5670 121,065.13 tpmC, at $4.97/tpmC, available Aug. 1, 2003.

Dell PowerEdge 6600/2.0 GHz/4P (results in review) — 78,117 tpmC, $4.85 price performance, available Oct. 21, 2003.

IBM eServer xSeries 440 c/s 8p — 119,115 tpmC, $6.56 price performance, available Oct. 4, 2003.

Unisys ES7000 Aries 520 Enterprise Server — 118,381 tpmC, $5.56 price performance, available May 30, 2003.

Microsoft, Windows and Windows Server are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Intel and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that the market for the sale of certain products and services may not develop as expected; that development and performance of these products and services may not proceed as planned; and other risks that are described from time to time in HPs Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HPs quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 31, 2003, and subsequently filed reports. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, HPs results could differ materially from HPs expectations in these statements. HP assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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