The blueprints are free, but companies still have to buy the software and servers. The new programme won't change how Intel sells its chips or other hardware, but it does tie into the revamping of the company's server strategy, designed to deliver new Xeon and Itanium processors that compete more closely with products from rivals such as Sun Microsystems. At the same time, it benefits the company by ensuring that the software required to put projects such as corporate portals into use runs well on its server chips. "Our goal is to make sure that all of the pieces of the puzzle work best on Intel architecture," Conrad said. "Our No. 2 goal is to make sure that solution is...priced competitively versus our competitors." If the software works well with Intel's chips, the theory goes, then companies will continue to buy Intel-based servers. Server chips are some of the company's highest-priced offerings, so it's important, analysts say, for Intel to promote them. "These are high-priced chips, but their (sales) volume is quite low," said Dean McCarron, principal at Mercury Research. "There's a lot of incentive for Intel to help fuel the market for server products." By some accounts, the company's new 64-bit chips have gotten off to a slow start. The Blueprints programme will cover current and future versions of the 64-bit Itanium, the next version of which, the 1GHz McKinley, is due later this year. "I don't think there's any understating how important it is for Intel to get the IA-64 server market going along," McCarron said. Many of the blueprint machines include Intel's newest processors, announced over the past few months, including the 2.2GHz, dual-processor "Prestonia" Xeon, the multiprocessor Xeon MP and a new dual-processor Pentium III aimed at blade servers. Intel will offer blueprints for about 10 different industries to start. They include digital media, energy, financial services, government, manufacturing, oil and energy, packaged goods, retail sales, and telecommunications. The company will kick off the Blueprints program with nearly 30 partners, including Cap Gemini, Compaq Computer, Deloitte Consulting, Dimension Data, EDS, Fujitsu-Siemens, HP, Microsoft, Plumtree, Plural, PWC Consulting, Questra, Scient, Siemens Business Services, Silverline, SpeechWorks, Stellcom, Triaton and Xcelerate.
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