Live Blog: HP CEO Meg Whitman Addresses Partners

At HP Global Partner Conference 2014, CEO Meg Whitman is addressing thousands of resellers, VARs, integrators and services providers. The VAR Guy has a front-row seat at HPGPC 2014, live from Las Vegas. Here's recap…

1. Four big themes: Cloud, big data, mobility and security.

2. Lynn Anderson, senior VP, demand generation and channel marketing: "It's about driving growth for you, for HP and for both of us." That involves "the new style of IT, which involves a new style of partnership."

3. Top sponsors: Avnet, Microsoft and Synnex are diamond sponsors, and Intel is platinum. Interesting to see, considering HP has moved beyond the classic Wintel market strategy.

4. HP CEO Meg Whitman: She earned a strong round of applause. "Ultimately, we want you to walk away with our demonstration of our commitment to the channel."

Whitman Takeaways

• HP's top 2000 channel partners are at the conference.
• Partner types like distributor, reseller, ISV and OEMs were mentioned.
• "When the channel is healthy, HP is healthy. And HP is getting its strength back thanks to you."
• 70 percent of HP's revenues flows through partners.
• "Operating company net debt is now zero. We've reduced our debt by $12.5 billion over the past two years."
• "We've reconnected with all of you."
• HP marketing generated over 100,000 leads for partners worth over $14.2 billion.
• She pointed to Senior VP Sue Barsamian and several other leaders who are driving HP's channel success.
• Whitman insisted that innovation has returned to HP, with OneView (infrastructure management), Store Virtual appliance bundled with servers, new analytics platforms and the overall PartnerOne partner program enhancements.
• The majority of HP's partners expect to grow more than 5 percent with HP in FY14.
• "We're on the right path."

Whitman's Strategy: The New Style of IT

• Devices, infrastructure, software and services: That's what makes HP unique, she asserted.
• "Today we are investing more in R&D than ever before."
• Cloud,security, big data, mobility are the big four trends impacting the way technology is consumed and delivered.
• "Customers are demanding open source and open standards."
• That all adds up to a new style of business powered by IT, she asserted.
• "The heat is always on. Some of your competitors weren't even in the business two years ago."
• Whitman suggested the world will need more data centers as customers blend private, managed, hybrid and cloud services.
• "Tens of millions of servers will be required to meet cloud demands."
• Whitman suggested power requirements are not sustainable. Hence, HP Moonshot servers use 89 percent less energy and cost 77 percent less than a traditional server environment. "No other company is taking on the data center dilemma the way we are."
• HP's entire strategy: To provide solutions for the New Style of IT.
• New models will emerge: VARs will become cloud service providers, or distributors as cloud services aggregator.
• Whitman has mentioned quite a few specific product names in the Big Data area. No mention of HP Autonomy…
• Keep an eye on Flex bundles involving SAP, Microsoft, VMware and other ISVs.
• Whitman promised a range of new cloud training and cloud services offerings will also accelerate partner profits.
• "Together we can build a better enterprise."

EVP Bill Veghte and SVP Sue Barsamian

• The duo went through a range of opportunities involving servers, storage, modern architectures, networking and more. No shockers here but we'll offer some specific product updates later this week.
• Microsoft is on hand to evangelize Hyper-V and hybrid cloud services built atop HP optimized hardware.
• HP focused its cloud comments on Cloud Builders, Cloud Service Providers and Cloud Resellers — somewhat similar to the cloud partner program efforts Cisco had announced about two years ago.
• "We don't face the innovator's dilemma that Cisco and EMC have," Veghte asserted.
• "You know when you go private you rip out cost and manage for cash flow," he added, referring to Dell.
• "We have a huge opportunity with the IBM installed base of servers," referring to IBM's x86 server exit to Lenovo.

Dion Weisler, EVP, printing and personal systems

• Mobility: "It's more than a technology. It's how business is starting to work and it's going to accelerate."
• To cash in on mobile, it's about analysis and service; devices; apps and mobile app dev platform; cloud services and manage and security.
• "We appreciate all you've done to return PPS to growth."
• HP's strategy: Deliver the best experience to more people at home, at work and on the go.
• Weisler offered some welcome comments about managed print services and fleet management for SMB devices. Great sound bites for managed services providers — assuming HP offloads the managed print services to MSPs.
• PC as a service came up. Perhaps a new attempt at hardware as a service? Hmmm…

Stay tuned for more updates.