HP Helion Network to Boost Partner Opportunities
HP has launched a new global, open network for cloud services that is meant to provide customers with greater choice in services and the ability to secure a hybrid IT environment.
Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) has launched a new global, open network for cloud services that is meant to provide customers with greater choice in services and the ability to secure a hybrid IT environment. But for partners, there’s a larger story, as the new HP Helion Network is intended to better position partners, service providers and developers in a way that HP stated will enable them to meet the evolving needs of enterprise customers in the cloud.
According to HP, some of the benefits to partners include:
- The ability to drive new revenue streams and lower costs by offering cloud offerings harnessing HP and partner technology and expertise.
- An expanded portfolio of cloud services, allowing service providers to sell other HP Helion Network service provider vertical and horizontal cloud solutions.
- Collaborative sales and marketing efforts to enhance market coverage and increase go-to-market efficiencies. This includes access to HP training, collateral and go-to-market support via HP’s direct and indirect channel partners, including VARs and distributors.
- Access to flexible payment structures that help align IT investment with revenue.
“Global enterprises grapple with a daunting array of cloud products and services across locations, which creates challenges that include security, data sovereignty, interoperability and quality of service,” said Martin Fink, executive vice president and CTO of HP, in a prepared statement. “The HP Helion Network leverages HP’s expertise gained from running OpenStack technology at scale and our ability to unite service providers and technology partners. Together, we’re building a federated ecosystem that enables organizations to deploy services on the right platform at the right time and at the right cost.”
HP noted that the service providers that are part of the network will form the foundation for the ecosystem of services that will be made available. But it will also build on the existing HP CloudAgile Service Provider program, which currently has more than 115 service providers globally enrolled.
The HP Helion Network isn’t quite ready for prime time, though. The pilot program will launch toward the end of the year, with the general availability coming some time after.
