Benchmark Shows HP ProLiant Servers Running Linux-based Sendmail Email Solutions Outperform Sun Platforms

FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct 31, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- HP (NYSE:HPQ) and Sendmail, Inc. today announced the results of a performance benchmark testing Sendmail's email software on industry-standard HP ProLiant servers vs. proprietary Sun systems. The results show that significant price/performance benefits and better message throughput are achievable when Sendmail's software is deploying mail and messaging solutions on industry-standard hardware running Linux, as compared to more expensive Sun servers running Solaris.(1)

Performance testing indicated that Sendmail software running on two- and four-way HP ProLiant servers with SuSE Linux Enterprise 7 and the Reiser Filesystem was significantly better than Sun servers running Solaris in message throughput, price and performance.

For example, the two-way, IA-32 HP ProLiant DL380 server running Linux outperformed and has a lower acquisition price than a two-way, 64-bit, Sun Fire 280R running Solaris. The HP ProLiant DL380 running Sendmail Switch(TM) delivered 30 messages per second while a Sun Fire 280R delivered only 19 messages per second.(2) The HP ProLiant DL380 server costs $6,463 while the Sun Fire 280R costs $16,490 (price includes Veritas file system).(3)

"With this proven solution from HP and Sendmail, running Linux on ProLiant servers, MobileCom has now in its hand a highly performing and reliable email service," said Mickael Ghossein, chief executive officer of Mobilecom, a leading wireless provider in the Middle East. "This solution will allow us to serve our rapidly growing customer base with the innovative services needed to stay ahead of our competition."

Additional tests revealed that the HP ProLiant DL580 server running Sendmail Advanced Message Server(TM) and Linux was capable of serving 14,000 users at approximately 100 percent concurrency (with all users logged in and working at the same time). By comparison the Sun Fire V880 server running Solaris was only capable of serving 9,000 users at approximately 100 percent concurrency. The price of the HP ProLiant DL580 server, including fibre channel storage, is $48,603 while the Sun V880, including T3 storage and the Veritas file system, is $190,095.(3)

"HP is seeing a growing number of customers adopting Linux on industry-standard HP ProLiant servers as an alternative to more expensive Sun systems running Solaris," said Judy Chavis, worldwide director of Linux, HP Industry Standard Servers. "HP is committed to providing these customers with tested, proven, Linux-based solutions, like Sendmail's email products, allowing them to deploy cost-effective, reliable Linux solutions with confidence in their enterprise infrastructure."

"Sendmail's email software on HP ProLiant servers provides customers with a secure, flexible and high-performance email solution that is optimized for Linux," said Greg Olson, chairman and co-founder, Sendmail, Inc. "This solution delivers the best price-performance when compared against Sun systems."

About Sendmail

Sendmail, Inc. builds the most powerful and secure email systems for large enterprises and service providers who depend on email to run their business. With proven technology and unmatched expertise, Sendmail works with customers to address their most complex messaging challenges. The result is dependable email infrastructure that is easy to manage and built to grow. The company is headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., with offices and distributors in Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. For more information on Sendmail, Inc., visit its Web site at www.sendmail.com or call 1-87-SENDMAIL or 1-877-363-6245.

About HP

HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its merger transaction involving Compaq Computer Corp. on May 3, 2002. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

(1) Results found were based on collaborative testing by HP, Intel, Sendmail and SuSE at internal labs and at customer sites.
(2) 100 KB message size.
(3) Prices as published on the respective company web site on October 21, 2002. Intel is a U.S. registered trademark of Intel Corp.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that the market for the sale of certain products and services may not develop as expected; that development of these products and services may not proceed as planned; and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HP's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 30, 2002 and reports filed subsequent to HP's annual report on Form 10-K, as amended on January 30, 2002, for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, HP's results could differ materially from HP's expectations in these statements. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.