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Always a critical part of the IT infrastructure, databases are at the heart of a number of trends in IT:
- Microsoft Windows -based applications and data are growing in size and complexity. Some applications running on 32-bit platforms may be reaching the limits of the architecture, specifically regarding scalability (number of processors and amount of addressable memory).
- Organizations are now able to migrate complex solutions from high-cost proprietary systems to lower-cost Windows-based systems.
- Organizations are consolidating applications to fewer servers to simplify critical data center operations. Consolidation can reduce cost, management complexity, and physical space requirements in the data center.
- Systems such as large e-commerce Web sites that must respond to spikes in demand from large numbers of users and a high volume of transactions will also see improvement. With these applications, large amounts of memory are required to maintain connection context for every database object opened by a user.
- Data mart consolidation is also common to help utilize hardware resource more cost effectively.
With the introduction of 64-bit hardware and software for Windows, organizations can deploy new applications or migrate existing ones to faster, more efficient technologies. The Intel Itanium 2-based HP Integrity server family, with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems (hereinafter referred to as Microsoft Windows Server 2003) and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (64-bit), offers an excellent approach to scaling up and consolidating database environments. This solution is a powerful, efficient, cost-effective way to meet business challenges and declare independence from costly, proprietary systems.
This white paper describes the following:
- The advantages and features provided by the HP Integrity family of 64-bit servers
- The benefits of updating database applications to the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 platform
- A description of the HP Integrity server family, its architecture, best practices for successful implementation, and use of appropriate HP storage technologies
- An illustrated guide to performing an update from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2005, including discussion of the update advisor
- A brief discussion of some example migration/update tests performed in the HP Performance Labs.
Audience
This paper is intended for IT and business managers who are interested in the capabilities and advantages of HP Integrity systems using Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (64-bit). The document assumes that the reader has an understanding of database applications in general and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 in particular.
Why HP Integrity servers?
HP Integrity servers provide an ideal platform to capitalize on the advantages provided by SQL Server 2005 (64-bit).
The HP Integrity rx4640-8 server extends the performance of entry-class servers, with up to 8 processors and 128GB of memory. Powered by new Intel Itanium 2 processors, this server is ideal for enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), business intelligence, and e-commerce applications. The power and scalability of the Integrity rx4640-8 server is further strengthened when used in a highly-available clustering solution, which improves application availability, provides data protection, and reduces planned maintenance time.
The HP Integrity rx7620-16 and rx8620-32 servers provide enterprises and high-performance computing centers with the flexibility, reliability and scalability to meet today?s commercial and technical computing demands. The rx8620-32 server, with its outstanding performance and broader partitioning capability is an ideal entry into high-end computing. The HP Integrity Superdome is a high-end enterprise computing solution that demonstrates world-record benchmark performance, unmatched scalability with up to 128 processors, and outstanding reliability. The HP Integrity Superdome offers simplified management and best-in-class solution deployment as well. It is ideally suited to heterogeneous environments and provides the reliable performance needed to complete mission-critical tasks.
HP systems also provide customers with superior adaptive architectures and automated intelligent system management as well as cost effective "Pay Per Use" options which will help you "capitalize on change".
When HP servers are coupled with HP StorageWorks products a customer has an extremely flexible, expandable, highly available and high performing storage subsystem. HP architectures allow customers to gain competitive advantage for both business intelligence and OLTP applications.
Why SQL Server 2005?
Organizations today face numerous data challenges; for example, the need for faster and more data-driven decisions, the need to increase the productivity and flexibility of development staff, and pressure to reduce overall Information Technology budgets while at the same time scaling the infrastructure to meet ever-increasing demands.
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