NewsCompanies in Europe Turn to Windows Server System With Intel Itanium 2 Processors as More Flexible, Lower-Cost Alternati
11/15/04 - PRNewswire
PARIS, November 15 /PRNewswire/ --
- Microsoft and Intel Offer More Manageable, Reliable and Secure
Solutions for Next-Generation Enterprise Systems on Windows
According to Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today,
Windows(R) Server(TM) 2003 and SQL Server(TM) 2000 with Itanium(R)-based
systems is the leading platform with the highest scalability for
mission-critical business applications being migrated from expensive,
proprietary RISC-based UNIX servers. An increasing number of organisations in
Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are adopting Microsoft(R) and Intel(R)
technology to replace their UNIX-based solutions or integrate with their
UNIX-based enterprises. These include: Alfa Bank, 8el.com, Ementor ASA, Mappy
SA, Panasonic Germany, SG Weber and Vattenfall.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )
With the introduction this week of the Intel Itanium 2 processor with 9
MB of cache, Intel is delivering a significant price and performance boost
for transaction processing, data warehousing, business intelligence,
enterprise resource planning and high-performance computing. The Intel
Itanium platform is Intel's highest performing, most reliable and scalable
platform for enterprise and technical computing, offering value and choice
over proprietary RISC. "Itanium processor-based servers running on Windows
Server System(TM) are a cost-effective, open, standards-based solution," said
Tom Garrison, head of enterprise marketing, Intel EMEA. "Itanium architecture
offers outstanding performance, RAS and choice for business-critical
enterprise and RISC replacement."
"Organisations that have heavily invested in UNIX-based solutions can
potentially save significant expense by moving toward technologies from
Microsoft and other leaders in the IT industry," said Mauro Meanti, general
manager of the Server and Tools Business Group at Microsoft EMEA. "Our
customers recognise that migrating their existing applications to the
Windows(R) platform and Windows Server System products running on the
Intel Itanium 2 platform is a powerful and versatile solution that cannot be
surpassed in long-term value and flexibility."
High Performance, Low Costs Available With Windows Solution
SG Weber is one of the world's leading industrial companies,
manufacturing and selling a range of mortar-based solutions. With rising
competitive pressures in the construction industry, the company was looking
to streamline administration processes, rationalise IT operations and improve
interoperability between their systems. The decision to rationalise
operations gave SG Weber a welcome opportunity to break the lock-in effect
with the UNIX operating system in use at the time. "The decision to migrate
to Windows 2000 and SQL Server 2000 was prompted first and foremost by cost
considerations. The Microsoft suite gave us the opportunity to reduce the
platform costs for our SAP deployment by over 30 per cent," said Philippe
Marsy, chief information officer, SG Weber. In addition to cost savings,
other compelling benefits of the new system are its interoperability,
scalability and flexibility. "We had some communications difficulties with
the old platform," Marsy said. "With Microsoft, we can say goodbye to all
interoperability problems."
Another organisation that is consolidating and standardising its
technology on the Microsoft platform is Ementor, one of the largest IT
solution companies in the Nordic region. As a result of nearly 90
acquisitions over the last few years, Ementor was running more than 150
business applications. The company felt that the Microsoft environment would
offer availability, scalability and good price for performance for its
enterprise applications. "We feel that SQL Server 2000 (64-bit) is a mature,
trustworthy, enterprise-ready product that will deliver the levels of
availability we need for our business-critical solutions at unbeatable
price/performance," said Magne Solberg, chief information officer, Ementor
Group.
Reliability Key For Alfa Bank in Migration
Alfa Bank, one of the top-five banking and financial organisations in
Russia, successfully integrated an Intel Itanium 2-based hardware platform,
which has allowed the company to help eliminate problems that emerged with
requirements imposed by the bank on its critical financial applications.
Speaking about the experience of implementation of Intel Itanium 2-based
servers, Serghey Mednov, IT director, Alfa Bank, said, "We have had a
positive experience with Intel Itanium 2-based solutions for our
mission-critical banking systems. Based on our experience for the past 12
months we have seen a high level of reliability and effectiveness with the
solutions. More than five of our mission-critical banking systems run on the
Intel Itanium 2 platform, based on a 64-bit Microsoft operating system and
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 for a database management system." Alfa Bank, one
of the top-five banking and financial organisations in Russia, successfully
integrated an Intel Itanium 2-based hardware platform, which has allowed the
company to help eliminate problems that emerged with requirements imposed by
the bank on its critical financial applications. Speaking about the
experience of implementation of Intel Itanium 2-based servers, Serghey
Mednov, IT director, Alfa Bank, said, "We have used Intel Itanium 2-based
servers for critical tasks, and we assess this solution as highly reliable
and effective. As compared with standard 32-bit platform-based solutions, the
cost/performance ratio is almost two-times better. Several important results
have been obtained: We still use all our positive experience of OPICS
operation, we can scale the system on the basis of the Microsoft Windows and
Microsoft SQL Server program stack, and now we have a level of reliability
that was only available on the base of RISC/UNIX solutions before. Today, we
regard Intel Itanium 2 architecture as the base for the further equipping of
the bank and consolidation of its computing resources."
Tools and Services for Migrating to Windows
For companies looking for alternatives to UNIX-based solutions, Intel and
Microsoft are collaborating with technology and services leaders such as
Unisys Corp., Bull and HP, and jointly offering a comprehensive set of
Windows- and Intel-based integration and migration solutions.
Microsoft provides a clear road map and guidance for reducing the
complexity and time involved in migrating applications from UNIX-based
solutions to Windows. Microsoft offers Windows Services For UNIX (SFU) 3.5, a
set of services, solutions, training and technical information enabling
enterprises to move enterprise applications from UNIX to the Windows Server
System quickly, and without disruption to the business. This set of
cross-platform network services from Microsoft provides interoperability
between Windows and UNIX-based environments. Available to customers at no
charge, SFU 3.5 offers customers enhanced performance of cross-platform tools
and services, enhanced UNIX command-line administration capabilities, and the
ability to extend UNIX-based applications in a web services environment based
on Microsoft .NET.
About Windows Server System
Microsoft Windows Server System is a comprehensive family of server
software providing the infrastructure for IT operations, application
development, integration and information work. Built on the Windows
Server(TM) operating system and designed with Common Engineering Criteria,
Windows Server System is focused on making it easier for IT professionals to
connect and manage their IT environments. Because Windows Server System
products are integrated for enhanced manageability and security, they help
organisations reduce complexity and lower costs. All Windows Server System
products support open industry standards including those based on XML to
promote interoperability with other platforms. More information on Windows
Server System can be found online at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services
and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.
About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft
employs more than 12,000 people in over 55 subsidiaries, delivering products
and services in more than 139 countries and territories.
About Intel
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of
computer, networking and communications products. Additional information
about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
NOTE: Microsoft, Windows Server, Windows Server System and Windows are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United
States and/or other countries.
Intel, Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel
Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners.
Web site: http://www.microsoft.com
If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft in EMEA, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/emea or the EMEA Press Centre at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre . Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at the time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact the Microsoft EMEA Press Office at +44-870-243-0515 or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/contactus . If
you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft Corp.,
please visit the Microsoft web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on
Microsoft's corporate information pages.
Microsoft EMEA PR, Jamey Chown of Waggener Edstrom,
+44-20-7269-4770, or jameyc@wagged.com; or Microsoft EMEA Press Office,
+44-870-243-0515, or microsoft@emeamedia.com; or Intel EMEA PR, Mathias Raeck,
+49-89-99143257, or mathias.raeck@intel.com. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com