HP's Solution Framework for TCO Management
Hewlett-Packard is uniquely positioned to manage TCO by leveraging its experience as the leading provider of client/server services and financing in mixed computing environments. Due to the immense capabilities of the Itanium processor family, HP enterprise servers can deliver competitive TCO and high ROI because various HP programs address costs and benefits at every level of the solution—hardware platforms, operating environments, middleware, ISV solutions, and service and support. See Figure 9-6.
Figure 9-6. Solution Framework
Hardware Platform
To protect software investments and further reduce TCO, HP-UX has supported application binary compatibility since 1986. Future HP platforms utilizing Itanium power continue this ideal. For example, legacy 32-bit HP-UX applications run seamlessly on the 64-bit Itanium technology. The same is true for 32-bit Windows and Linux applications running on Itanium-based systems.
Operating Systems
Long committed to true open systems computing, HP believes it is wrong to dictate to customers which operating environment they should choose. That is because Hewlett-Packard understands the reality of today's computing environments—mixed environments are becoming more prevalent as complex market and computing requirements continue to drive technology decisions. Choices such as which operating system to use must be made based on these drivers, and systems should be selected based on where they make the most sense and offer the greatest functionality.
Middleware
HP middleware helps lower costs and bolster ROI through a broad portfolio of high availability (HA) solutions. Servers running Itanium are already proven to have higher uptimes and faster recovery times. Because of this, customers running Itanium-based systems will be far less likely to lose sales or miss transactions.
Applications
Itanium-based enterprise servers will seamlessly support thousands of leading ISV solutions. Customers who choose Itanium-based solutions will have virtually no limit on the software solutions they can use to minimize costs and maximize benefits. The list of new software applications will continue to grow as the family of systems expands and new software vendors recognize the potential of this pervasive architecture.
Services and Support
HP runs a one-stop support network that keeps a customer's support costs to a minimum. From the benefits perspective, HP consulting services help the client design systems that provide a competitive advantage and higher ROI.