Reality Check: Server Insights : pod

Now I get the HP POD. See what we are learning at the HP Tech Forum 2009 POD demos, sessions & tours

Kristie Popp — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:06:00 GMT

The HP POD (Performance Optimized Datacenter) is stealing the show at the HP Tech Forum 2009. The POD is set up and you can tour the POD, talk to the experts and also see the power house running the POD. Kevin Egan & Steve Cumings from HP are informative, graciously answering all questions and helping us to all fully grasp the coolness of the HP POD.

Here is a quick overview of the HP POD in plain English by Jason Newton:

Hp Pod In Plain English Hptf

Here are the technical slides from Kevin Egan's technical break out session:

HP POD Containerized Data Center

Some quick take-away points:

HP POD solves the customer challenges:

Capacity Limitations
More energy efficiency needed
Increased pressures on capital expenses

Highlights:

HP can ship the POD fully loaded in six weeks
Lower operating expenses – more efficient
22 racks 50U high --- 11000U in 40x9 container
POD cools the IT… closely coupled cooling. NO mixing of hot & cold air.
Usually cool whole datacenter or certain areas.. not as efficient.
HP’s highest density – non proprietary too.
HP can cater to extreme hot or cold temperatures. Plumbing is the issue – keeping temps right.
The POD is powered by ActivePower www.activepower.com. Partner with HP for the power house – Flywheel, 600Lbs spinning away! They also had a very cool tour. See Jason Newton’s POD in plain English tour above for info & photos from the tours.
Questions on security always come up. Can someone drive away my datacenter? Someone would reaaalllly want to do this, as the POR averages 100,000 lbs. Would need 007 to pull that off. Just get the regular security in place.
HP is investing heavily in POD technology & structure. 20FT version coming out in Q4. At the Houston Campus, they are building out 5 in a spine. HP has a full roadmap for the POD. The PODs offer a huge opportunity to defer capital expenses
One customer has as a totally remote using iLO – only stepping in to make upgrades, change out any hardware.
TCO Comparison available. Kevin’s team would be abile to run this for customers. Contact them here.

All companies have the same problems. Who are the POD customers?

Capacity expansion 40%
Scale out 30%
Disaster Recovery 10%
Transitional 10%
Military & Custom 10%

Lastly: Every HP POD conversation goes to people wanting to live in it!!!

Key quotes from our Featured Bloggers at Tech Forum on the HP POD:

"I think a lot of us drool at the processing and storage capacity potential that the POD represents, but there are a lot of other factors that make the POD a serious, almost no-brainer contender when planning for a datacenter solution."

Shane Pitman , from his blog Neowin, HP Technology Forum & Expo POD tour

"Adding to the list of pluses provided by an HP POD solution are the POD's expandability and configuration options. With space for 22 50U full-depth industry standard racks, the configuration options are enormous. Want all storage? No problem. Want all blades? Can do. Already have the technology but just looking for a better housing solution? HP will ship you an empty POD with the racks, power, and cooling infrastructure in place, ready for your existing hardware, and not just HP hardware. The HP POD will support any third party technology."

Shane Pitman, from his blog Neowin, read more at HP Technology Forum & Expo POD tour

I will post more pics in the next few days of the POD too.

Let us know your thoughts & impressions on the HP POD. Are you ready for a mobile data center?

HPTF 2009: "What happens in Vegas doesn't have to stay in Vegas!!" Stay connected.

Kristie Popp — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:54:00 GMT

Traveling to the show? Share with us your experiences. Can't travel? Stay tuned to this web site for the latest info.

At Tech Forum (June 16 - 18 in Las Vegas) HP will showcase its premier enterprise computing solutions. The event will feature daily keynote speakers, presentations and booth demos. If travel restrictions are preventing you to attend in person, you still have the opportunity participate. Via a dedicated website that includes a wide range of tools, HP will provide access to summary videos of selected keynote presentations and demos. See this year's choices of topics at the event & expo.

"What happens in Vegas doesn't have to stay in Vegas!!" Check www.hp.com/go/HPTF-buzz for all the info on the HP Tech Forum 2009 for servers, storage and software. Share with us what you are seeing and experiencing on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Slideshare, upload your photos to Flicker and videos to YouTube.

More blog info coming from the show including lists of the "top threes" from the event. Please also feel free to comment on the site www.hp.com/go/HPTF-buzz to help us give you the info you want. Likes, dislikes?

I received a new HPC Multi-core server today – Live from SC08

d-field — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:59:00 GMT

This week, I am attending the annual SC08 conference. For 2 decades, the tradition in HPC is to announce and demonstrate new products at the SC conference, and there is a lot to absorb.

For me, the event started with a 2-day HP user conference, attracting some of HP’s largest HPC customers. It was a very full 2 days, with lectures on many subjects from customers, Intel, AMD, software development companies, and of course HP. Even though I work here, I learned a lot about projects in other parts of the company.

At the SC08 show, I saw my 1^st HP POD – portable optimized datacenter – a 40-foot-long shipping container on the outside, and a self-contained computer facility on the inside. This excellently-designed mobile facility can contain 3500 servers or 12,000 disk drives, in standard 19” racks. Just provide a flat location, power, chilled water, and a network cable, and you have a new computer room.

To make the week more interesting, AMD announced the new Opteron Shanghai processor – higher clock speed, bigger cache, faster Northbridge, and improved performance:power ratio.

One of the good things about big companies is that they spawn startups. This year, a startup company announced a new HPC architecture at SC08. Nearly all the employees are my friends and previous HP co-workers. Check out www.conveycomputer.com

Views of the HP POD

aimeeschoaf — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:35:00 GMT

The HP POD had a very busy week indeed... and we had some great photos taken while it was in the Silicon Valley. Here are a few of those pics - thank you for participating! For more information on the HP POD, go to: www.hp.com/go/pod.

Look for the HP POD this Fall at an industry event near you!

The HP POD finds Yahoo... Photo by Ryan Knight

The HP POD introduces itself to Google -- photo by Holly Benson

Photo by Cheryl Edwards

Will Hayes says, "Wait, come back! You forgot to drop off my TV!

Photo by Carlos Mangandy

Congratulations to the winner of our "Spot the POD" Drawing!

aimeeschoaf — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:18:00 GMT

Congratulations to Kenn Durrence, who was drawn as the winner of our "Spot the POD" Drawing. Kenn captured the HP POD in San Jose.

Congratulations, Kenn! Please email aimee.schoaf@hp.com with your contact information!

Thank you all for participating in this promotion - watch for the HP POD coming your way again this Fall.