HP is targeting users migrating from Windows Server 2003 with its soon-to-launch ProLiant Gen9 series.

The new Gen9 systems represent an upgrade from its current Gen8 stock, and encompass new Apollo 6000 and 8000, ML 350 and DL 360, to be released on September 8.

HP‘s general manager for rack and tower, Peter Schrady, said the business was after $2bn in server revenue, targeting everyone from SMBs to enterprises by aiming to accelerate IT service delivery, reduce IT costs and cut down on energy usage.

Angela Cross, UK & Ireland manager for servers and software, told CBR the September launch would help HP target customers migrating off Windows Server 2003, for which Microsoft support expires in July 2015.

She said: "We see loads of opportunity. A lot of our customers,whether they meant to have it or not, they probably still have 2003 running somewhere. Probably some of them have a larger problem than others but all of them haver something they neef to change.

"If they’re running 2003 they’re probably running it on Gen6 or something, so it’s also a great combination of needing to refresh and upgrade to new Windows technology, but also at the same time optimising your footprint, your power and your overall efficiency by going to Gen9."

Other Gen9 servers will be released over the next 18 months, with the current DL360e and 380e rebranded as the 160 and 180.

Schrady said: "We really didn’t have enough separation between the e and Ps so this goes back to what we had before. We are going to be much more competitive with these products.

"We have an eye on not only enterprise customers but SMB customers with this product launch."

HP is boasting a variety of upgrades on Gen8 with the new Gen9 series of servers, but believes Gen4, 5 and 6 users will be the most likely to upgrade.

Schrady said the new series boasts tighter integration with hypervisors from Microsoft and VMware.

The firm also said its "one pane of glass" server management tool OneView now has insight into all servers and storage elements of HP, with networking to come later in the year.

This, it claims, has led to performance improvements on Gen8 of between 14% and 33%, while server deployment time is two-thirds faster simply because you can more easily see your servers.