And while there is little sign that HP is even close to beating IBM at its own game, IBM isn't taking chances.
It has doubled the commissions it pays resellers who oust HP products. It beats its chest whenever it beats HP to a big contract, like one coming next week with Alpine Electronics Inc. And its people portray HP as a bit player in services and software--which generate two-thirds of IBM's revenue.
"I don't ever see HP," said Scott Hebner, an IBM software vice president. "They don't bring any real software assets to the table."
The head of IBM's systems group, William Zeitler, contends HP is so worried about losses in the server market that it is aggressively cutting prices and possibly "stuffing" its sales channel--artificially boosting revenue by giving resellers more products than they need. HP denies the charge.
Zeitler also predicts that most customers who spurn IBM servers will choose low-cost specialist Dell Inc., not HP.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
