HP, the world’s largest producer of x86 servers, this week initiated pre-order campaign on its blade servers based on AMD dual-core processors, but soon after the beginning downed the appropriate pages on its web-site, The Inquirer web-site reports.

HP’s ProLiant BL45p systems designed for up to 4 processors were equipped with two AMD Opteron dual-core chips at 2.20GHz, 2.0GHz and 1.80GHz. The blade servers have two hot plug SCSI drive bays, support up to 32GB of PC3200 ECC memory, and id designed for enterprise availability, according to The Inquirer’s news-story. The web-site claims those who have pre-ordered the ProLiant BL45p blade servers will receive them in two weeks time.

AMD’s CEO recently confirmed that the dual-core AMD Opteron processors for servers will be launched on the 21^st of April, 2005. Earlier another representative for AMD said the firm would begin commercial shipments of the dual-core Opteron chips starting the day of the formal launch.

AMD’s dual-core server processor will have dual-channel DDR memory controller, 2MB L2 cache (1MB of cache per core) and will fit into Socket 940 mainboards provided that they were made according to all AMD’s thermal and voltage guidelines and have a BIOS to support dual-core central processing units.

The probable prospective plan of Advanced Micro Devices suggests that AMD will launch AMD Opteron 200- and 800-series dual-core processors at 1.80GHz, 2.0GHz and 2.20GHz with 95W thermal design power (TDP) in the second quarter of 2005.

AMD plans to firstly unveil its server-aimed dual-core Opteron processors and then follow with desktop-oriented dual-core Athlon 64 chip in the second half of the year because it believes server applications will benefit from additional core more than desktop software, as server programs are typically tailored for machines running two or more processors. Intel intends to commercially release its desktop Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition chips in May, 2005, with dual-engine Xeon processor for servers entering the market in early 2006.

Some sources suggested that the first desktop dual-core microprocessors from AMD, which will presumably be branded as AMD Athlon 64 X2, will be on the market by the end of June.