Dynamic Enterprise Feature Editorial

Partnering to Deliver the Dynamic Enterprise

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor

In the world of communications, the creation and maintenance of strategic partnerships can deliver value to the end user. In the case of Hewlett Packard and Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert), they come together to form a 10-year global alliance that knits together and jointly markets IT and communications technologies for service provider and enterprise customers.

Within the global marketplace, IT and telecom are rapidly converging due to the demands of service providers as they try to address the needs of businesses to outsource their increasingly complex network operations. As more and more companies move toward an all-IP environment, operators are combing technologies that have traditionally remained separate.

Under this alliance, HP and Alcatel-Lucent will launch a global go-to-market program to transform communication networks into converged, next-generation infrastructures. With this transformation, service providers will gain the ability to deliver new, revenue-generating services more efficiently and effectively. The two companies will also work together to offer services that manage the new and existing infrastructures to meet the needs of those looking for flexible sourcing options as part of its dynamic enterprise vision.

A go-to-market initiative to provide communications solutions to mid- and large-size enterprises and public sector organizations is also underway. Alcatel-Lucent products will be integrated with HP IT solutions to cater to specific areas such as IP telephony, unified communications, mobility, security and contact centers.

"Today's global alliance represents a major transformational deal that will deliver great benefits to our customers. IT and telecom are coming together in an unprecedented way and I am delighted to see how we can speed up innovation in our industry," said Ben Verwaayen (News - Alert), CEO of Alcatel-Lucent, in a statement. "I am also confident that HP will deliver Alcatel-Lucent best-in-class solutions in terms of performance and cost for our IT needs."

A truly converged approach to communications would enable the delivery of new and better services for businesses and consumers. Such convergence is only possible if major IT and telecom players get closer to one another to offer truly integrated solutions designed to improve the business case for network transformation.

The alliance between Alcatel-Lucent meets this need, delivering market advanced, carrier-grade, end-to-end integrated telecommunications and IT solutions that specifically address the needs of the service provider and the enterprise to deliver converged information and communications technologies (ICT).

As the primary focus in a transformation is the bottom line, the alliance between HP and Alcatel-Lucent must be able to demonstrate the cost benefits delivered by a converged approach to communications. In delivering a holistic approach to convergence, the alliance demonstrates how costs are not only reduced, but also controlled for maximum efficiency.

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Erin Harrison