The new 6120 series is HP ProCurve’s first offering for the market-leading HP BladeSystem, providing standards based 10GbE connectivity and integration with both BladeSystem Insight management tools and ProCurve network management tools. ProCurve 6120 series switches for BladeSystem are a well integrated option for BladeSystem connectivity for customers that have architected a managed switch paradigm from server edge to across their datacenter.

These new BladeSystem interconnect options will:

• Reduce management complexity for customers by using the familiar BladeSystem AND ProCurve tools used by many companies
• Integrate into networks with other switch and management tool products because ProCurve switches and tools use only industry standard protocols
• Meet the demands of server virtualization and high-performance applications with 10 GbE
• Simplify connection provisioning, and manage ProCurve core, distribution and blade switches with HP ProCurve Data Center Connection Manager
• Future investment protection with CEE-ready hardware (6120XG) for the emerging converged fabric standards.
• Reduce the cost of running a network with the ProCurve Lifetime Warranty, with free phone support and next-day replacement; HP services; free software updates; and global support

We are also expanding Virtual Connect capabilities to:

• Increase Fibre Channel network utilization with a new, 8 Gb Fibre Channel module that reduces the price per port for VC-FC connectivity
• Increase network flexibility with double the number of VLANs supported to 128 per uplink set
• Reduce management complexity with additional network diagnostics via SNMPv1 and SNMPv2 traps
• Increased network flexibility with dynamic Flex-10 connection set-up and bandwidth adjustment

HP’s Virtual Connect family of interconnects already: 

• Are wire-once – change ready to simplify connection of servers to LANs and SANs with a powerful yet simple to use management interface, that allows server administrators to move workloads or add, move, or replace servers transparently to LANs & SANs in minutes, not days, with one person instead of three – all without needing to change LAN or SAN settings
• Converge networks by needing 75% fewer NICs and switches, costing 66% less and consuming 50% less power than managed blade switches
• Reduce complexity with cutting up to 94% of cables and expensive uplink switch ports without adding blade switches to separately manage.
• Use industry standards to integrate with any Ethernet or Fibre Channel network – ProCurve, Brocade, and Cisco Catalyst/MDS/Nexus

HP Virtual Connect and ProCurve together

Having Virtual Connect in the BladeSystem enclosure connected to ProCurve data center switches, such as the ProCurve 6600 series, also brings the benefits of HP’s data center strategy to the network. ProCurve switches provide the idea high value way to aggregate Virtual Connect uplinks.
In summary, both Virtual Connect and the HP ProCurve 6120 series switches will:

• Reduce management complexity
• Integrate with other network products with open, industry standards
• Reduce the amount of physical space and components needed
• Reduce the power consumed
• Reduce network cost – both to buy and run