HP ProLiant Micro Server (N40L) in Singapore

Specs & Info here

Finally I've got my own home server from USA. I've upgraded the box with some extra memory, ATI and 2x2TB HDD.

I am using this box for only a week or so, but I can see how worthwhile to spend my money on this box. At 500+ this is not a cheap box but certainly a Value-for-money home server.

I still wonder, why HP is not selling this in Singapore. I've seen this in HWZ forums, and at the homes of many of my friends. There could be some silly/stupid reason why HP decided not to make some money from the local + regional market.

HP, Juniper gains market share in Q1-2011, Cisco drops

Source: Canalys

Canalys says in Q1, Cisco market share dropped from 73.2% to 68.2% and HP & Juniper happily enjoyed the increase in their pie.
Cisco is struggling to keep their markets while trying to gain new markets for their products. What's lacking with Cisco or the current problem is "innovation". We've not seen a new product from Cisco since their launch of 72 series routers. Since then every year though they are launching new products, they are just bigger boxes with more and more capacity, features.

HP came in to the market with "simplicity" & "support". The biggest draw for HP nodes is Lifetime support. Whether they do support it or not is a different story and I won't comment on it. But the top management found it extremely good. Also, for DC folks, this is good because most of the servers/blades are from HP (Though lately Cisco is gaining some market) and support will be seamless.

Juniper is the new entrant and their USP is JUNOS. If you ever used the command line of a Juniper you'd certainly agree with me. Same OS is not a strength on its own but it became a strength thanks to Cisco. With the multiple/ever changing versions from Cisco, it is making things more complicated for the engineers.

I don't know but hope Cisco will look in to "simplifying" stuff rather than making things more complex. It was the company simplified lots of stuff. But now it seems they're focusing on some thing else.

Cisco gains market share in X86 Blades and ranks 3rd worldwide

Source: E-week

When we hear Cisco, the first think comes in to our mind is "Routers or Switches". Ofcourse recently they came in to the news for all the wrong reasons and I don't really a great fan of their consumer non-core products like CIUS, Flip or UMI.

Now Cisco officially the 3rd largest x-86 Blade server vendor overtaking Dell in the process. Market leader HP is still way too high with 48% share followed by IBM with 20%. Cisco captured 10.5% and placed at 3rd.

Look at the graphs here