14.6. Resources Available from HP

HP provides a wide variety of tools, informational resources, and services.

The resources available to you from HP can be categorized as follows:

• HP online tools

• HP alliances and programs

• HP adaptive infrastructure framework

• HP product support programs and options

To be able to recommend the best solution to your customer, you need to be able to understand the content, purpose, and application of these resources and apply them to the customer situation.

14.6.1 HP Online Tools

The two main online tools available are the HP Web site and HP ActiveAnswers.

14.6.1.1 THE HP WEB SITE

One of the best places to find online information about ProLiant servers is the HP Web site. Depending on the size of the customer, choose the Small & Medium Business link or the Enterprise link, and then click Servers. Click Entry-Level tc Series and ML300 Series Servers to open the HP Entry Level Servers page where you can use the HP how-to guide for servers to research and choose from a variety of servers and options. These tools will help you understand how to size a server to suit specific business needs.

Note

See how-to guides, compare servers, and customize a model at http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/platforms/index-tc.html.

Servers can also be customized online. Each server model page includes a customize link. Through this link you can add memory, drive controllers, hard drives, removable media bay devices, cables, monitor, modem, additional network interface cards (NICs), operating system, server management, CarePaq services, rack deployment options, hot-plug devices, ProLiant Essentials software, uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), and printers.

Note

The degree to which a server can be customized depends on the line and series. Not all options are available for every server.

14.6.1.2 ACTIVEANSWERS

The HP ActiveAnswers Web site, shown in Figure 14-1, provides a set of tools, e-services, and information to help customers plan, deploy, and operate business solutions. Through the ActiveAnswers site, you can size a server and select options to match a particular enterprise environment. You can use the Configurator and Sizing tools to generate potential solutions and the corresponding bill of materials.

Figure 14-1. ActiveAnswers Web site.

Although ActiveAnswers is designed for the enterprise market, using the sizers is a good way to learn about the positioning and value of the HP ProLiant lines.

You can use the Solutions link to select a category to research. For example, one of the ActiveAnswers Solution Sizers is for the Apache Web Server for Linux. This sizer helps you choose an entry-level, preconfigured, single-server solution suitable for small and medium-size businesses, or build your own solution based on customer requirements.

Note

For more information on ActiveAnswers or to register, visit the ActiveAnswers home page at http://activeanswers.compaq.com.

14.6.2 HP Alliances and Programs

HP partners with leading providers of software, services, and operating systems to enable success in the e-business environments of today and tomorrow. Working closely with partners such as Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, SAP, and many others, HP delivers products, services, and solutions for the computing challenges faced everyday. Using these proven solutions, deployments are fast and simplified, and ongoing management of systems easier than ever before. Benefits include the following:

• Faster time-to-solution Proven partner solutions are engineered, tested, tuned, and optimized on HP platforms to enable fastest time-to-solution with reduced risk. And through the HP ActiveAnswers Web site, you can access a broad range of tools and information for quickly planning, deploying, and operating an HP and partner solution.

• High availability HP is committed to providing industry-leading capabilities and to meeting the enterprise customer's complete spectrum of requirements for reliable, highly available platforms, software, and solutions.

• Confidence Experience, enterprise technology leadership, and strategic industry partnerships place HP in a unique position within the IT market providing customers unprecedented choice and confidence in the architecture and deployment of their network computing infrastructures.

• Accelerating industry standards As a global enterprise leader, HP pushes the boundaries to drive peak customer value. HP provides the broadest range of mission and business critical solutions on standard platforms to give the customer the freedom of choosing the industry's leading applications.

• Commitment to success HP partners with industry leaders to accelerate success. HP will continue to broaden its portfolio of industry-leading partnerships to provide greater choices and fastest time-to-solution.

14.6.3 Adaptive Enterprise

Adaptive Enterprise is the ultimate state of business fitness: business and IT synchronized to capitalize on change through the following:

• Business solutions Deploy the solutions, services, and products that enable the business processes within an adaptive enterprise

• Integration solutions Integrate business solutions and trading partners with enterprise integration solutions, services, and products

• Infrastructure solutions Leverage infrastructure solutions, services, and products to serve as the foundation for business solutions

• Management solutions Utilize management solutions, services, and products to provide instrumentation of business and infrastructure solutions

The HP Adaptive Enterprise is based on years of experience in delivering open and collaborative solutions and services. It tightens the link between customer IT and business objectives so that customers can anticipate and rapidly respond to new market requirements. As business strategies change and new business processes demand higher levels of service, an adaptive enterprise responds immediately and intelligently with the required services.

The Adaptive Enterprise is shown in Figure 14-2.

Figure 14-2. HP Adaptive Enterprise.

The HP Adaptive Enterprise architecture is based on a foundation of robust information technology and services to continuously align infrastructure resources as enterprise business requirements evolve. Evolving toward an Adaptive Enterprise requires a phased approach that

• Embraces an agility strategy and continuously assesses agility capabilities.

• Ensures that network architectures can accommodate the inclusion and removal of business systems, applications, lines of business, and all supporting hardware and software.

• Identifies and eliminates underpowered, underused, and overdeployed technologies.

• Consolidates assets into a scalable infrastructure where services are managed automatically and delivered on demand.

14.6.3.1 HP ADAPTIVE ENTERPRISE DIFFERENTIATORS

One of HP's key differentiators is its key design principles that promote the synchronization and integration of business and IT, including standardization, simplification, integration, and modularity.

These key differentiators are applied consistently across business processes, applications, and infrastructure.

14.6.4 Support Options

In addition to helping customers select a server, you must also help them plan for support. Customers might decide to have an outside contractor or someone in-house perform system support. Alternatively, they can select a support option from HP when customizing the server online. Customers also can contact HP Customer Care Centers or the HP Services network if they have any questions.

14.6.4.1 PRODUCT INFORMATION CENTER

The HP Product Information Center can help you obtain the following:

• Presales and post-sales product information for commercial and consumer, desktops, workstations, and portable units

• Part number, configuration, and upgrade information

• Authorized Reseller information

• Nontechnical support

• Customer satisfaction assistance

Most services are available 24x7, including holidays.

14.6.4.2 CUSTOMER SOLUTION AND SUPPORT CENTER

HP receives a large number of telephone calls daily for support and technical assistance. For the HP Technical Support Engineer to assist you, you must have complete information about the system, including serial numbers and problems for which you are requesting assistance. It is best to call from the location of the machine being serviced.

HP technical support for desktops, portables, professional workstations, and servers is available 24x7, including holidays.

Note

For more information about HP Customer Care Centers, go to http://h30011.www3.hp.com/cust_care/support.html?pageseq=675379.

14.6.5 HP Services Network

HP Services provides a complete portfolio of services tailored to customer needs. Using a proven set of methodologies, HP partners closely with the customer to help design, build, integrate, manage, and evolve an adaptive infrastructure that responds effectively to business changes.

Note

For more information about HP Services, go to http://www.hp.com/hps/servers/sr_proliant.html.