Googling at Microsoft Will Get You Shot!

When did Microsoft start tapping into its comedy gene? This is a valid question, whatever you might think of it. Humor was long believed not to be a part of the Microsoft genotype, but increasingly the Redmond company manages to come out with illustrative examples designed to prove just the opposite. In this context, the first thing that comes to mind is Bill Gates' Last Day at Microsoft video presented
during his last keynote address at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show in las Vegas, on January 6. But there are more, equally entertaining fragments of Microsoft pop culture that have been made available to the public.

The first video embedded at the bottom of this article comes from Channel 10, and is designed to dispel a variety of unfounded myths about the Redmond company. Yes, Microsoft employees are geeks, but this doesn't mean that they do not welcome a good thrashing, and yes, they are filthy rich, just look at what Windows Vista Ultimate costs. Security it seems is another big concern over in Redmond, and you can see why it's going so well too. Plus with the company's cash reserves, the saying "the sky's the limit" simply does not apply to Microsoft. But don't stop here. You can also watch what really happens before a Microsoft conference call as well as the ad for the Belgian launch of MSN Video.

"People often stop me in the streets to ask 'Hey Tina, what's life 'really' like at Microsoft?' Sometimes I can't even walk outside my house without somebody standing there with a giant neon sign that blinks 'What is life 'really' like at Microsoft?' Instead of answering every individual separately and so you can save your money on those neon signs. I decided to create a video that would answer that simple yet complex question. I want to throw out a special high-five to the following because without them and a lot of beer this video never would have happened: Duncan Mackenzie, Erik Porter, Mike Sampson, Scott Davis, Grant BlahaErath, Dan Fernandez, Max Zuckerman, Adam Kinney, The Dalai Lama and Britney Spears," Channel 10's Tina Wood stated (obviously the references to the The Dalai Lama and Britney Spears were just a way to attract eyeballs).

HP to Expand its Unix-Based Blade Server Offer: the HP Integrity BL870c is Here!

Server builder HP has just released its first mid-level Unix-based blade server, the HP Integrity BL870c, powered by a custom-made version of the Itanium processor to power the four-socket server. Estimated
at a retail price of $8,000, the blade server will allow the companies to migrate from the old Unix-based technologies and implement virtualization strategies.

HP has marked a milestone in its Unix-based server offerings. While the company would only take shy attempts at the Unix market, the new HP Integrity BL870c will send the company straight to the top. "The move is a significant upgrade for HP in the Unix blade server arena. Until now, the company has simply dipped its toe in the Unix market," James Staten, an analyst with Boston-based Forrester Research, claimed.

The new blade server allows large enterprise businesses to move their already existing data to the new storage system. According to Stan, more and more businesses are switching to virtualization, since it offers much more autonomy and, at the same time, keeps the ownership costs at a minimum.

"As products become denser and blade enclosures become pervasive, I foresee a majority of the entry to the mid-tier Unix servers will be based on blade technology," said Jim VanderMey, vice president of technical operations.

The new trend pushes the companies to quit using distributed data centers and move to consolidated and virtualized environments, which would severely reflect in an increase in space and cooling requirements. The blade servers come to fight these shortcomings, as they are fully functional computing systems that are deprived of some components, such as storage. This way, both power consumption and the necessary space are drastically diminished.

"The blade platform has really matured in large measure because of the Itanium processor," said Staten. "To give these Unix shops the ability to put mission-critical workloads on blades is the most cost-efficient solution for mid-level companies to upgrade their systems."