Utility computing services catching on

摘要

In some ways, manufacturer Rockwell Collins is an ideal customer for HP's powerful Super-dome computers. The maker of avionics and communications systems needs the sort of processing power that the Unix-based machines deliver to handle its engineering, ERP and product development applications, some of which require half-second response times. The problem, though, is that the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, company needs four of the 128-processor systems, and with starting prices of $300,000 per unit, that's more than Rockwell Collins wants to spend. The solution? Rockwell Collins has signed on for a pay-as-you-go offering that lets it house four of the machines in its own data center without buying the systems. Rather, HP enters the network through a secure connection once a month to measure average CPU utilization and charges the company accordingly. (Rockwell Collins would not discuss financial details.)