Low-end NetServers use fast 80486s, Pentiums
Hewlett-Packard Co has expanded its range of low-end servers with launch of the HP NetServer LC Series, a new range of entry-level, easy-to-manage servers in the company’s HP NetServer family. There are three models available. The HP NetServer 4/66 LC and HP NetServer 4/100 LC systems feature 80486 DX2/66 and 80486 DX4/100 processors, respectively. Both are upgradeable to Pentium/66 and future processors, and memory can be expanded from 8Mb to 136Mb. A 256Kb external write-back cache is optional. The HP NetServer 5/66 LC model is based on a Pentium processor running at 66MHz, and is expandable from 16Mb to 192Mb. It features a 64-bit bus architecture and includes a standard 256Kb external write-back cache. All models come with six expansion slots, a PCI, a PCI/EISA combo and four EISA bus master slots as standard. There are also an optional external EISA disk array with a dual Fast SCSI-2 controller and hot-swap/hot-spare disk-drive capability, to allow continuous server use and to increase uptime. Two optional add-on products are also available to improve the manageability of the servers. HP NetServer Assistant 2.0 software provides proactive system altering and tools for problem resolution, and is based on HP’s OpenView which provides an intuitive graphical interface and a single interface for personal computer local area network management. HP Remote Assistant consists of an intelligent EISA board and software that provides unattended remote management, including the ability to power cycle; continuous environment and server-hardware monitoring and logging; and automatic alerting and recovery capabilities. The HP NetServer LC Series starts at $2,630, while HP NetServer Assistant 2.0 and HP Remote Assistant are available as accessories for $500 and $1,000, respectively; all products ship in June.
Peregrine’s Session Recap added to HP OpenView Peregrine Systems Inc’s Session Recap has become the company’s third product to become an HP OpenView Premier Solution. As such, it has been certified compatible with OpenView at five levels, from the graphical user interface to protocol access, event handling, data integration, and installation and administration. Session ReCap provides real-time 3270 session level management capabilities from OpenView. It’s an SNA management application that works with Peregrine’s OpenSNA and Hewlett-Packard’s SNA Node Manager to manage, trace and store session level data between SNA networks and OpenView.
Faster LaserJet 4 Plus, 4M at the prices of the old ones
Hewlett-Packard Co has introduced the HP LaserJet 4 Plus and LaserJet 4M Plus printers, which are the same price and significantly faster than their predecessors. The new printers process 12 pages per minute, compared with eight pages per minute for the HP LaserJet 4 and LaserJet 4M printers; resolution is 600 dpi. The 4M Plus can automatically switch between the PostScript language and PCL print jobs, and is designed for workgroups with Macintosh and mixed computing environments. It also includes Type 1 and TrueType rasterisers, which are licensed and used with Adobe’s PostScript interpreter, Hewlett’s new EconoMode and Powersave features and enhanced HP PCL5 language. The LaserJet 4M Plus offers several features designed for efficient operation in mixed computing environments. These include automatic input-output switching between interfaces and built-in simultaneous support for multiple network operating systems that allow the printer to receive print data from multiple computer systems without user intervention. In addition, the printer automatically switches between PostScript and PCL languages to ensure compatibility with software and hardware. Also included are new EconoMode and Powersave features. EconoMode, a method of printing that places half the amount of toner on the page, is designed to reduce the cost of printing by half and double the life of the toner cartridge. Powersave reduces power consumption when the printer is not in use. The LaserJet 4M Plus comes with 6Mb of RAM,
and features a 25MHz 80960 RISC processor. It’s network ready, with a pre-installed HP JetDirect board to support Ethernet and LocalTalk network connections and Bi-Tronics parallel interfaces. The LaserJet 4M Plus lists for $2,480 and is out now. The base model HP LaserJet 4 Plus, which is also immediately available, is upgradable to Adobe PostScript Level 2 with a user-installable SIMM option that sells for $400.
JetStore 6000 range offers 8Gb Digital Audio Tape storage
Hewlett-Packard Co’s new HP JetStore 6000 range of 8Gb-capacity Digital Audio Tape products for the reseller market features four new drives, and include an end-user-ready internal drive, an external stand-alone drive and two tape back-up systems for NetWare with Windows. The new products use what Hewlett says is the fastest DAT mechanism in the industry, with an average compressed-mode transfer rate of 1Mbps. The company claims they typically provide 8Gb of unattended back-up in two hours on a single 120m DDS, Digital Data Storage, cartridge, using data compression. The new drives are read-write compatible with HP JetStore 2000 and 5000 products as well as DDS format DAT drives from other vendors. They support 60m and 90m cartridges using the DDS-1 format and the new DDS-2 120-metre tape. Media Recognition System tapes, which give users an enhanced reliability factor in their media, also are supported at each length. The products are available now. No prices.
The DesignJet 650C colour inkjet plotter is enhanced
The company has also enhanced its DesignJet 650C colour-inkjet plotter. These enhancements include improved print quality, especially in solid-area fills, increased memory capability and more connectivity options. The plotter, which provides 300 dpi colour and addressable 600 dpi monochrome output, is aimed at CAD and GIS users who work in groups of four to 10 – either standalone or networked. The enhanced DesignJet 650C plotter is $8,500 for the D-size model – 24 wide – and $10,000 for the 36 E-size model. The company says it has improved print quality through its scatter half-tone dithering technology, which provides consistent high-quality, colour area fills, especially in gradient shades. This means far less banding, and small text and fine lines appear crisper, says the company. Pantone tables are included in the box so that users can print a Pantone colour chart for use with the product. The DesignJet 650C plotter comes standard with 4Mb of memory that now can be expanded up to 68Mb. Enhanced memory enables the plotter to queue more files for unattended or overnight plotting. Memory SIMMs are available in increments of 4Mb, 8Mb, 16Mb or 32Mb. The enhanced plotter also has a faster Release 12 AutoCAD driver, which cuts screen lock-out time by as much as 40%, says Hewlett. The raster transfer language has also been improved to make the device plot raster data faster. An enhanced Windows 3.1 driver allows automatic scaling for applications that don’t support large-for-mat output, and also includes Hewlett-Packard’s new colour-rendering technology, ColorSmart, which automatically optimises colour output. For PostScript users, the plotter automatically switches between PostScript and other languages. For Geographic Information Systems users, mapping software packages ARC Info and Intergraph are supported. The enhanced plotter is available immediately; an upgrade kit costs $400.
