Server builder HP has just released its first mid-level Unix-based blade server, the HP Integrity BL870c, powered by a custom-made version of the Itanium processor to power the four-socket server. Estimated at a retail price of $8,000, the blade server will allow the companies to migrate from the old Unix-based technologies and implement virtualization strategies.

HP has marked a milestone in its Unix-based server offerings. While the company would only take shy attempts at the Unix market, the new HP Integrity BL870c will send the company straight to the top. "The move is a significant upgrade for HP in the Unix blade server arena. Until now, the company has simply dipped its toe in the Unix market," James Staten, an analyst with Boston-based Forrester Research, claimed.

The new blade server allows large enterprise businesses to move their already existing data to the new storage system. According to Stan, more and more businesses are switching to virtualization, since it offers much more autonomy and, at the same time, keeps the ownership costs at a minimum.

"As products become denser and blade enclosures become pervasive, I foresee a majority of the entry to the mid-tier Unix servers will be based on blade technology," said Jim VanderMey, vice president of technical operations.

The new trend pushes the companies to quit using distributed data centers and move to consolidated and virtualized environments, which would severely reflect in an increase in space and cooling requirements. The blade servers come to fight these shortcomings, as they are fully functional computing systems that are deprived of some components, such as storage. This way, both power consumption and the necessary space are drastically diminished.

"The blade platform has really matured in large measure because of the Itanium processor," said Staten. "To give these Unix shops the ability to put mission-critical workloads on blades is the most cost-efficient solution for mid-level companies to upgrade their systems."