HP Unveils New 2-in-1 Blade Server

HP is rolling out a new line of blade servers that combines two servers in a single energy-efficient blade. The new ProLiant BL2x220c G5 is designed for data centers that require more horsepower for cloud computing or high performance computing (HPC) applications but have a limited amount of data center space. To enable that denser environment, HP says its new blade delivers 60 percent better performance per watt than similar configurations from competitors.

The new HP offering highlights the intensifying battle among major server vendors for high-volume deals with customers building cloud computing and HPC infrastructure. IBM recently launched its iDataPlex server for Web 2.0 infrastructure, while Dell has its XS23 Cloud Server.

"The IT industry is at an inflection point with companies demanding more efficient, highly-utilized scale-out technologies that can improve the economic model for their data centers," said Michelle Bailey, research vice president, Datacenter Trends program, IDC. "The growth in digital information is changing the course of the data center, forcing organizations to quickly scale their infrastructures to keep pace with user demands."

"To meet this challenge, customers are taking a far more holistic approach to data center management