Centrally managed blade workstations aren't cheap but should appeal to city traders and other demanding users
HP has introduced to Europe a blade workstation system for environments where multiple screens and high performance are vital, such as City trading rooms. As well as securely centralising workstation hardware into a datacentre, the architecture makes remote access possible for business continuity, according to HP.
The HP ProLiant xw25p Blade Workstation, available immediately, slots into a rack-mounted enclosure in a server room, with a network connection to a console on the user's desktop. This architecture keeps system units secure, while freeing up space on the desk.
HP said it created this system for customers like finance companies, which face issues with existing workstations such as data security and centralised management control.
"Some traders may have four or more workstations under their desk, which also means a lot of heat and noise. We can replace that with one client," said Jim Zafarana, vice-president of HP's Workstation business.