VAR500 Roundup: IBM Cuts Jobs, HP Gets Cloud Win, Dell Inks Deal

A Week Of Deals, Acquisitions And Layoffs

HP Services, Cerner, SAIC, Dell, Fiserv were in the news this week, signing deals to acquire, or to provide services for customers. Among the deals, HP Services is supporting a client's move to private cloud computing, while Fiserv's strategic purchase will increase its mobile offerings.

Not all of the VAR500 solution provider news was rosy, however: IBM is reportedly losing jobs in one of its units.

IBM Cuts Services Jobs

The Poughkeepsie Journal is reporting that IBM cut 194 jobs in its Global Business Services Application Management Services Global Accounts unit. It also said that 44 jobs were lost in the Client Value Transformation unit. Among the New York sites mentioned as having some cuts were East Fishkill and Poughkeepsie, two major IBM plants in Dutchess County.

HP's $400 Million Private Cloud Services Outsourcing Deal

HP Enterprise Services UK has won a $400 million deal with Centrica to provide outsourcing services for seven years. HP will implement a solution that will let Centrica move to a utility-based private cloud computing environment, supporting Centrica’s change program, improving speed of deployment, helping to lower costs and supporing the company’s environmental objectives.

HP Services will deliver Utility Services that support Centrica’s migration to a private cloud- and utility-based computing environment enabling greater flexibility to reliably respond to changing business conditions. Centrica will have access to HP’s enterprise cloud-computing services to enable better data access and new products and services for its customers.

SAIC Providers Systems Integration For U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) Command awarded a prime contract to Science Applications International Corp. to support the Navy's enterprise resource planning program. The contract is worth more than $28 million, if all options are exercised.

According to SAIC, the contractor will provide systems integrator assistance, support, and expertise for the ERP program. The SSP Command directs the development, production, logistic support, and sustaining engineering effort of the Navy's strategic weapon systems.

Fiserv Buys Mobile Commerce

In an effort to enhance its mobile capabilities, Fiserv has bought Mobile Commerce (M-Com), an international mobile banking and payments provider. The pair have been partners since 2008, developing and delivering Fiserv's Mobile Money solution to hundreds of financial institutions. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Fiserv will have the ability to integrate M-Com mobile banking and payment technology into current product offerings, while current M-Com clients will benefit from Fiserv’s digital banking and payments expertise, resources and ongoing investments in mobile financial services.

Dell Services Deploys Managed Services For Travel Firm

Dell Services signed a six-year IT outsourcing contract with leading European travel company, TUI Travel, to help its client boost cost savings and productivity. Financial details were not released.

According to the Dell unit, the solution provider will deploy managed services and use its IT Infrastructure Library-based best practices and systems as well as cloud-based asset management capabilities. Specifically, Dell Services will provide a single point of contact for resolving technical issues and offer 24/7 service desk support, utilizing disciplined workflows, and automated process tools.

Cerner Rolls Out Health-Care Management

Cerner has implemented its solution for skilled nursing facilities at Bethesda Health Group, a leading senior care and services organization in St. Louis, Mo., has begun utilizing Cerner’s solution for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).

Residents in SNFs often have complex medical requirements or limited ability to communicate care needs, creating a difficult and cumbersome environment for providers charged with their care. The Cerner BeyondNow architecture, with its core electronic health record system, lets providers coordinate and manage care across the post-acute continuum, including long-term, home health, private duty and hospice.

Check out last week's VAR500 Roundup for more news about CRN's top IT solution providers.