HP's Enterprise Plan Takes Shape

Solution provider executives attended the meeting in Chicago with Dan Vertrees, vice president of enterprise partners for the Americas region at HP, and other Enterprise Systems Group executives. Vertrees was unavailable for comment.

"They are recognizing, whether they like it or not, that a large portion of the business in the named accounts goes through the channel," said one solution provider executive who attended the meeting but asked not to be identified. "[Enterprise Systems Group executives are realists."

As part of its new Partner One channel strategy, HP has named 850 accounts that it plans to target with its direct-sales force. Solution providers said outside those accounts, the channel will represent HP's enterprise products. "But all the gold is in the 850 accounts, and we want to play there as well," said Gary Melillo, vice president of development at Melillo Consulting, Somerset, N.J.

Melillo, who attended the Chicago meeting attended by about 20 HP enterprise partners from around the country, said terms and conditions for new enterprise channel programs weren't finalized at that time. One purpose of the meeting was to get the channel's input in shaping the programs, he said.

While some solution providers questioned whether HP will be able to finalize its channel terms and conditions prior to Nov. 1, Larry Holzenthaler, executive vice president of sales and marketing at TotalTec, Edison, N. J., said the vendor is making progress.

"They are doing a pretty good job considering they are taking about 40 different partner contracts and putting them all under Partner One," Holzenthaler said.