Among several new technology solutions announced today focused on small and business, one of interest is the new X500 StorageWorks server, which is (for the most part) a MediaSmart Server aimed squarely at small and midsize businesses. 

At the $699 starting price, the X500 series offers 1TB of storage, the same PC and Mac features of the MediaSmart line, as well as the core Windows Home Server features like backup and restore. However, it would appear many of the 'home' focused features like the Video Converter and Media Collector have been omitted... at least they're not talked about. 

The pricing may seem odd considering it's the same price as an EX495 but with less storage, but the warranty and support options here could be dramatically different since this is a business based device.

See the X500 Fact Sheet here.

Full press release below

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 PALO ALTO, Calif.-- HP (NYSE:HPQ) today introduced solutions to help small and midsize businesses (SMBs) improve data security, maximize productivity and minimize business risk while significantly reducing costs and energy use.

The new offerings expand the HP Total Care portfolio, which helps SMBs manage, protect and grow their businesses.

“By investing in new IT solutions now, SMBs will be in a stronger position to seize growth opportunities and thrive as the economy rebounds,” said Kathy Chou, vice president, Worldwide Small and Midsize Business Strategy, HP. “With today’s announcement, HP continues to enrich its Total Care offerings to meet the evolving needs of our SMB customers.”

“AMI has surveyed thousands of SMBs in over a dozen countries over the last four quarters, and noted that the current economy has greatly changed the way they purchase technology products and services,” said Anil Miglani, senior vice president, AMI-Partners. “As we exit the global recession, SMBs will try to protect their existing technology investments while making new investments to grow their business and strengthen customer relationships. HP is well-prepared to help SMB customers achieve this balanced growth through its comprehensive Total Care portfolio.”

Improve security and risk management

For SMBs needing increased levels of security to protect their data and keep mission-critical systems running smoothly, HP introduced these new solutions:

• To significantly improve system availability while reducing the risk associated with security breaches and data, the HP Total Care Business Risk Mitigation solution offers customizable configurations of servers, storage, networking and security products. By leveraging this solution and best practices for data management, SMBs can reduce outages by as much as 85 percent.(1)
• For affordable data management, the HP StorageWorks X500 Data Vault Series (starting at $699)(2) allows small businesses to remain competitive by improving the protection of critical business data and automating backups. It enables small businesses with up to 10 PC and Mac clients to store information in a central place and easily share files regardless of employee location. Also, business owners can save money through a low purchase price, which is up to 22 percent less than comparable solutions.(3)
• For maximum uptime, the HP StorageWorks X3000 Network Storage Systems High Availability Bundles combine hardware and software into an efficient shared storage solution for file and application data. Based on the HP StorageWorks X3000 Network Storage Gateways and HP StorageWorks MSA2000 G2 storage arrays, the bundles increase efficiency by automatically eliminating duplicate files, protecting against drive failures and reducing setup time by up to 50 percent.(4) Helping to keep costs in check, the solution does not require extra license fees for networking protocols, file replication or snapshot capabilities.

Enhance productivity, reduce costs

To help customers save money, be more productive and manage security threats, HP announced:

• Improved administrative productivity with the HP ProCurve 1810G Switch Series. This series provides affordable gigabit connectivity that can be configured and maintained without a large or specialized staff. It offer customers flexible deployment options such as a fan-less design for silent operation, mounting options for easy deployment in any location and network security capabilities for protection against denial-of-service attacks. The eight-port model also features a Power-over-Ethernet option for connectivity in locations without readily available power sources. The series also is supported by the ProCurve Lifetime Warranty(5) to help customers better manage their overall networking expenses by providing value and choice for their business applications.
• For an affordable, lightweight notebook that does not compromise performance, the HP ProBook 5310m Notebook PC, starting at $699,(2) is the world’s thinnest full-performance notebook at 0.9-inches thin and 3.7 pounds. Ideal for mobile SMBs, it delivers seven hours of battery life,(6) sports a 13.3-inch diagonal LED high-definition display and a standard voltage processor. HP QuickWeb allows users to access the web in seconds when the notebook is shut down.(7)

Maximize impact, decrease energy use

For SMBs that want to affordably grow while minimizing their environmental impact, HP introduced new printing and online marketing solutions:

• The HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5220 printer series, which is available for purchase in Asia and Europe, offers exceptional print quality and network performance, making it easy for small businesses to affordably market themselves. It is the first printer to offer HP Auto-Off Technology, an industry-leading technology that intelligently senses when there is no print activity and automatically adjusts the power settings. This latest addition to the HP LaserJet family builds on 25 years of leadership in innovation, quality, performance and dependability, and sets the gold standard in business printing.
• To help SMBs easily select the best HP LaserJet printing system for their business, HP announced new sub-branding. Customers can choose from a comprehensive line of HP LaserJet “Professional” printers that provide professional and cost-effective results, while larger organizations can select from the HP LaserJet “Enterprise” portfolio.
• To help small businesses better connect with their customers, HP released a new version of its MarketSplash by HP web service. HP printer and PC customers in the United States can now download and edit hundreds of professional-quality brochure, flyer and business card templates at no charge and print them in-house. Beginning next month, MarketSplash will offer a print fulfillment option that enables customers to select a local print service provider.
• HP and Yahoo! have teamed to help small businesses in the United States easily and affordably create a cohesive brand identity across different online and offline marketing functions. Through the HP Creative Studio, the HP Total Care site and the Yahoo! Small Business portal, customers can receive special offers including web hosting prices for as low as $7.46 a month(2) and access custom design services from Logoworks by HP to create a professional-looking website.

New services and financing offers

To complement its new solutions, HP introduced services and financing offers to help SMBs in the United States purchase, use and manage their IT resources:

• To help SMBs manage costs and make purchasing easy, HP offers flexible financing solutions to deploy next-generation HP technology and services through HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and lifecycle asset management services subsidiary. From now through Oct. 31, 2009, SMBs can take advantage of the Economic Recovery Lease program, which offers a 36-month plan with fixed price purchase options.
• From now until Dec. 31, 2009, SMBs can receive up to $1,000 cash back when purchasing a new HP LaserJet, Officejet Pro or Scanjet and recycling an old printer through the HP Trade-in and Save Program. Within the last six months, HP has generated nearly $16 million in revenue and sold more than 17,000 units through the program.

New channel offerings

Lastly, HP announced enhanced SMB offerings available through its channel partners, including channel-only products, channel-led Managed Print Services programs and HP certified solutions, that enable SMBs to better compete in today’s marketplace. The offerings include:

• Products available through the channel will initially focus on the workflow, imaging and printing security and job accounting, and device management arenas;
• Greater investment in tools and programs that enable reseller partners to offer Managed Print Services to their customers. In the United States, HP has established new relationships with industry leaders that offer managed print infrastructure and services for resale by value-added reseller partners. In Europe, HP is creating an integrated platform and brokering a network of service partners that will enable resellers to sell contractual print offerings as well as higher valued services not previously available to SMB customers; and
• Certified solutions for the channel that include partner training, product sourcing and technical support for select independent software vendor solutions from HP’s Solutions Business Partner Program.

Additional information about HP's expanded Total Care offering for SMBs is available at www.hp.com/go/CompetitiveEdge.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com/.
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Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.
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(1) IDC White Paper sponsored by HP, Reducing Downtime and Business Loss: Addressing Business Risk with Effective Technology, #219697, August 2009.

(2) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

(3) The HP StorageWorks X510 Data Vault costs 22 percent less than the Buffalo Terastation III 2TB product.

(4) Based on internal HP testing.

(5) Details are available in the ProCurve Software License, Warranty and Support booklet at www.procurve.com/warranty.

(6) Battery life will vary depending on the product model, configuration, loaded applications, features and power management settings. The maximum capacity of the battery will decrease with time and usage. Sold separately or as an add-on feature.

(7) Accessible when the notebook is off in Windows® XP, Windows Vista® or Windows 7 based systems. Timing may vary depending on the system configuration. Internet access required. QuickWeb on HP ProBook s-series requires configuration with Intel® and DDR3 or AMD and DDR.

Microsoft, Windows and Vista are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corp. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected operational and financial results; and other risks that are described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2008. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. 

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