Hewlett-Packard (HP) subsidiary EDS has signed an agreement to provide its enterprise customers with Microsoft’s new Business Productivity Online Suite.
The agreement extends HP’s longstanding relationship with Microsoft to providing communications and collaboration services via cloud computing.
Together, the companies anticipate deploying these services, including SharePoint and Exchange Online, to more than five million users.
HP’s EDS and Microsoft have a 20-year history of delivering enterprise-ready communications and collaboration solutions.
The move makes EDS the first Business Productivity Online Suite reseller and Microsoft’s largest Business Productivity Online Suite delivery partner, with the capabilities to reach the rapidly growing global interest in online services.
“This agreement enables Microsoft and EDS to provide highly secure and reliable cloud-based productivity solutions to enterprise customers who want to deliver IT innovation to improve total cost of ownership,” said Kevin Torgerson, vice-president of Service Delivery Operations at EDS, a HP company.
“These services minimise the need for infrastructure investments and can be deployed rapidly, which further reduces the demand on clients’ IT resources.”
EDS has begun to integrate Business Productivity Online Suite, including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office Communications Online and Microsoft Office Live Meeting, into EDS Workplace Services Offerings.
EDS and Microsoft will jointly deliver communications and collaboration productivity services. They also will provide global reach and intend to leverage combined data centre resources and network expertise.
HP plans to supply its server hardware and storage technology to support anticipated demand.
“EDS brings a long history of strong customer relationships, enterprise expertise and valuable infrastructure assets. Microsoft brings software-plus-services innovation, engineering capabilities and the most widely used productivity technology in world,” said Ron Markezich, corporate vice-president at Microsoft Online.
“Together, Microsoft and EDS are uniquely positioned to offer integrated cloud services that will help customers innovate and reduce IT costs.”
By John Kennedy
