The Bull NovaScale® server sets a new price/performance record under the TPC-H benchmark running Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Bull NovaScale® 5160 server performs 17,059.8 QphH at 1,000 GB at a price of $25.48

Paris, November  7, 2005 -

Bull today announces that the Bull NovaScale® 5160 server has improved its industry record in terms of price/performance with $25.48 per QphH (Query per Hour) under the TPC-H Business Intelligence benchmark*, running Microsoft SQL Server 2005. The results show a performance of 17,059.8 QphH@1,000 GB.

The new record was set with a Bull NovaScale® 5160 server equipped with 16 Intel® Itanium® 2 processors, running Microsoft SQL Server 2005 on Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and using Xyratex's Storage enclosures.

These results are part of the announcement of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 of which Bull is a global launch sponsor.

Outstanding price / performance for reliable, enterprise class business intelligence

Microsoft SQL Server 2005, optimized by the experts of Bull Business Intelligence services teams worldwide, is a key element of the NovaScale offer. It contributes to addressing the most demanding requirements in terms of performance and reliability with reduced costs inherent to standard-based and open solutions.

NovaScale is the leading range of servers designed and developed by Bull. NovaScale is one of the reference platforms currently used by Redmond engineers to test SQL Server 2005. NovaScale servers have gained market recognition when it comes to the renewal of complex infrastructure and mainframe migration.

"SQL Server 2005 on Bull NovaScale servers is an ideal solution for large databases and Business Intelligence solutions, and it provides customers with an extraordinary platform in terms of price/performance and functionalities," said Ilya Bukshteyn, Director of Product Management for SQL Server at Microsoft Corp.

"Our strong collaboration with Microsoft has led to the outstanding results announced today. This collaboration is a key element of our expertise in open infrastructure deployment under Microsoft Windows environments " stated Michel Lepert, Executive Vice-President and General Manager, Bull Products and Systems. "The new version of SQL Server 2005 fuels Bull's capability to address the fast growing Windows-based high-end solutions marketplace " he continued.

"The Xyratex SBOD enclosure features direct disk to controller communications providing improved performance levels, increased data availability and reductions in latency, all factors that contribute significantly to overall solution performance" said Jon Haley VP Sales Europe and EMEA Xyratex Storage Systems.

Benchmark detailed results and configuration

• Model: Server Bull NovaScale® 5160

• OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition

• Number and type of processors: 16 Intel® Itanium® 2 - 1.6 GHz, 6 MB cache

• Memory size: 64 GB

• Database size: 1TB

• QphH@1,000 GB: 17,059.8

• QphH@1,000 GB: $ 25.48

More information

- Transaction Processing Council site: http://www.tpc.org/tpch/

- Bull NovaScale servers offer: www.bull.com/novascale

- White paper "Choosing Windows® for the heart of the Data Center": http://www.bull.com/novascale/dc/windows.php

* The TPC-H benchmark is a renowned international benchmark that measures the performance of a complete platform, including server, database and storage components within the frame of Business Intelligence applications.

NovaScale is a registered trademark of Bull S.A. Intel and Intel Itanium are registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in other countries. TPC Benchmark, TPC-H, QppH, QthH and QphH are trademarks of Transaction Processing Performance Council. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

About Bull

Bull is a leader in secure mission-critical digital systems. The Group is dedicated to developing and implementing solutions where computing power and security serve to optimize its customers' information systems, to support their business.

Bull operates in high added-value markets including computer simulation, Cloud computing and 'computing power plants', outsourcing and security.

Currently Bull employs around 9,000 people across more than 50 countries, with over 700 staff totally focused on R&D. In 2011, Bull recorded revenues of €1.3 billion.

For more information visit: http://www.bull.com
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