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Case study: Leibniz Rechenzentrum

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Customer at a Glance

Download PDF: Leibniz Rechenzentrum (pdf, 132 kb)
Leibniz Rechenzentrum (LRZ) is a centralised IT service provider for universities in the Munich, Germany area. It provides services in the areas of supercomputing, archiving and networking. It maintains a scientific network, the Münchner Wissenschaftnetz (MWN), which links central servers with systems belonging to Munich's three main universities and other scientific institutions as well as student residences.

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Explosion in demand

According to network manager Günter May, the major networking issue for LRZ today is the fact that end-users—whether working with a PC or a supercomputer—require a combination of high availability and high bandwidth.

"Over the past few years, there has been an explosion in demand for services at previously quiet times such as Sundays and public holidays," he explained. "To support our users, we now have to provide an always-on network."

LRZ's Gigabit Ethernet network links up 50,000 host systems in more than 50 locations and 200 buildings. It makes use of HP ProCurve 4000m and 4100gl switches.

"We use ProCurve Networking switches because they are reliable and extremely cost-effective, especially when the warranty is taken into account," said May. "They provide effective support for new capabilities and they have the flexibility to accommodate a wide range of media types."

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New management software

HP OpenView is the main tool used by LRZ for overall management of the network. However, it has recently become a user of HP ProCurve Manager, HP's new management software for ProCurve Networking managed devices.

According to May, HP ProCurve Manager's configuration management and virtual local-area network (VLAN) management capabilities give it a major advantage over other management software. Changes to hardware and software configuration can be reviewed easily and quickly, and people can see at a glance which networking devices belong to which VLANs.

In the past, switch and VLAN configurations had to be recorded manually. This was time-consuming and introduced the possibility of error. By automating these processes, HP ProCurve Manager improves network availability and performance as well as saving money for LRZ.

"The number of VLANs in the network has risen steeply and now stands at several hundred, so it is essential that we have a good overview of VLAN configuration. HP ProCurve Manager gives us this overview and enables us to provide our end-users with better service," said May.

"On top of the financial and technical benefits of ProCurve Networking switches, the features offered by HP ProCurve Manager were just what we needed to manage our network more effectively," he concluded.

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Business results

  • HP ProCurve Manager's configuration management and VLAN management capabilities enhance the performance and availability of the network.
  • Automation of configuration processes saves money and reduces the scope for error.
  • End-users in the universities receive a better service.
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What makes it work

Hardware
  • Gigabit Ethernet network
  • HP ProCurve 4100gl switches
  • HP ProCurve 4000m switches
Software HP services
  • Lifetime warranty with next-business-day advance replacement (available in most countries) on most products for as long as the customer owns it *
  • Telephone support available during normal business hours
  • Technical product support available via e-mail
  • Comprehensive network design and configuration services offered at no extra charge
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For more information

When you are ready to explore the benefits a ProCurve Networking solution can offer you, call HP at 1-800-975-7682.

To learn more about ProCurve Networking's Adaptive EDGE Architecture™ solutions, visit our home page.

Purchase: In the US, HP business solutions, products, and supplies can be purchased at your local HP partner, or bought directly from HP either online or by calling 800-613-2222.

Finance: HP finance plans provide all the benefits of new technology without the risk or cost of ownership. For details, call 888-999-4783.

Accessibility: HP is committed to providing products and services that are accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, please visit the HP Accessibility web site or call 888-259-5707.

♦  For as long as you own the product, with next-business-day advance replacement (available in most countries). The following hardware products and their related series modules have a one-year hardware warranty with extensions available: HP ProCurve Routing Switch 9300m series, HP ProCurve Switch 8100fl series, HP ProCurve Network Access Controller 800, and HP ProCurve DCM Controller. The following hardware mobility products have a one-year hardware warranty with extensions available: HP ProCurve M111 Client Bridge, HP ProCurve MSM3xx-R Access Points, HP ProCurve MSM7xx Mobility and Access Controllers, HP ProCurve RF Manager IDS/IPS Systems, HP ProCurve MSM Power Supplies, HP ProCurve 1 Port Power Injector, and HP ProCurve CNMS Appliances. Disk drives in the HP ProCurve ONE Services zl modules, HP ProCurve Threat Mgmt Services zl module, and HP ProCurve MSM765zl Mobility Controller have a five year hardware warranty. Standalone software, upgrades, or licenses may have a different warranty duration. For details, refer to the ProCurve Software License, Warranty, and Support booklet at www.hp.com/networking/warranty.
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