The HP ProLiant and HP BladeSystem servers, using next-generation AMD Opteron processors, enhance power and cooling efficiency while improving system performance by up to 15%, HP says. Quad-core ready, the servers also help protect the IT investments of customers planning to transition to multi-core technologies, the company adds.

According to HP, the servers offer customers enhancements in key areas, such as management, networking, storage and virtualisation, and incorporate AMD Opteron 2000 and 8000 Series processors, DDR2 memory technology and small form factor disk drives.

HP has set the standard in offering customers choice and systems innovation for industry-standard x86 platforms that improve data centre operations and business efficiency, says Andrew McNiven, business unit manager, industry standard servers, HP.

Designed for performance and virtualisation, HPs balanced system approach aims to maximise dual-core processor performance today, with room for the transition to quad-core in the future. Aiming to help increase total system performance for critical applications and virtual server environments, recent architecture enhancements include HP Smart Array Raid controllers, multifunction networking and increased memory capacity, HP says.

The servers will use small form factor Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) disk drives, intending to eliminate the need for customers to make multiple drive transitions while simplifying system management needs, HP adds.

In addition, HP says that it continues to simplify infrastructure management with high-speed 'lights out' remote access, with the Integrated Lights-Out 2 management processor and the HP ProLiant Essentials Server Migration Pack: Physical to ProLiant edition.