Newer XP storage works for HP 3000s
February 8, 2016
HP 3000 systems often use antique disks for storage and as boot drives. No device HP has integrated in a 3000 server is newer than 2003 in age, and even some later-generation disk arrays have design dates that throw back to more than 10 years ago. (We're looking at you, XP12000.)
Thankfully, there's newer storage available to HP 3000 sites. The XP20000 and XP24000 can be integrated with HP 3000s. We know of a couple of support and resale companies which do this work. Pivital Solutions continues to support 3000 sites, including integration like this. Newer storage can assure more confidence in the HP-built versions of the 3000. Older hardware gets dinged during datacenter audits, after all.
Other companies that don't write 3000 support contracts are able to connect these XP arrays. One of the other providers calls these newest StorageWorks devices "amazing storage devices for HP 3000 servers." HP put out an end-of-life notice for these arrays' XP12000 predecessor more than two years ago.
It's not ridiculous to want to attach these storage beasts to a datacenter that includes HP 3000s. The XP24000 maxes out at 1.98 petabytes, can handle up to 64,000 LDEVs, but can start as small as 1 TB. The XP20000 goes as high as 413 terabytes. HP's list isn't complete, but it says the following operating systems and hosts can share in the XP24000/20000 storage:
- HP-UX
- Windows
- IBM AIX
- Sun Solaris
- VMware
- Linux - IA2, Red Hat
- OpenVMS
- NonStop
The chassis on the XP20000 is listed at under $14,000 for a refurbished model on one website. As a shared device across a heterogenous datacenter, these XP units are the newest edition of the StorageWorks lineup. Moving parts are the highest risk elements in homesteading a 3000, like any other system. In the right datacenter, these can help keep MPE/iX systems in the mix.