Exalt Solutions Powers New HP SMB Central Portal

The tool, which debuted earlier this week on HP's new SMB Central partner portal, lets partners select a combination of HP products and see an immediate on-screen calculation of TCO and ROI that takes into account up front channel benefits and special offers. Once the VAR has identified their desired combination, they add the products to an online shopping basket that's connected on the back end to their distributor of choice, which fulfills the order.

Exalt provides the engine underneath the new SMB Central tool, according to Leslie Swanson, CEO of Cambridge, Mass.-based Exalt, which is partially owned by CRN parent Everything Channel.

"HP is positioned to show off our technology in a unique way. We can help a salesperson reach in using our technology and put together a complete solution without the assistance of an engineer," Swanson said. "If I'm a VAR, I can use this to put together server, storage, and Personal Systems Group products."

Exalt's multivendor solution configuration tool is currently running on Saleforce.com's AppExchange through a 2008 agreement between the companies. "This allows any AppExchange user working with Salesforce.com to seamlessly go from an opportunity in Salesforce.com directly into Exalt to configure and quote a multivendor solution," Swanson said at the time.

Exalt's technology powers the portals of CDW, PC Connection, and all the large distributors, and its client list is growing, says Swanson. Could this sort of high profile exposure HP is providing for Exalt technology lead to additional gigs with other vendors?

"We work with a lot of vendors out there, and if any of them are interested, we'll explore it," said Swanson.