Server clustering made simple - HP bundles ProLiant servers with PolyServe's robust clustered apps for maximum flexibility.(HP ProLiant DL380)(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Product/Service Evaluation)

Getting top performance from a storage system and making applications faster and more resilient are two critical and challenging aspects of computing. Unfortunately, many vendors' solutions focus on just one side of the problem or require massive, costly infrastructure changes.

If that scenario sounds all too familiar, consider PolyServe Matrix Server, which combines a robust cluster file system with a virtual server architecture that enables fail-over and flexible allocation of computing resources. Matrix Server doesn't require proprietary hardware and it runs on almost any Linux or Windows-compatible server or storage device, so it's easy to see why PolyServe captures the attention of partners such as HP, Microsoft, and Novell.

HP recently began bundling PolyServe Matrix Server with its StorageWorks Enterprise File Services Clustered Gateway . I looked at Matrix Server bundled with HP's minimum configuration of two ProLiant DL380 servers running Windows Storage Server 2003. It's a natural fit; HP's servers …