HP Helps VARs Promote Blade Solutions

Hewlett-Packard is adding demand-generation programs for VARs that participate in its BladeSystem Solution Builder Program.

The program is slated to be detailed Wednesday at the same time HP, Palo Alto, Calif., is expected to unveil modular blade servers.

VARs in the HP program can now participate in demand-generation promotions and are given sell sheets, which HP calls "Blue Prints," that have a space for VARs to customize with their own company information, said Mike Kendall, manager for HP's BladeSystem Solution Builder Program.

HP's budget for the demand-generation portion of the program is "in the tens of thousands of dollars per solution," said Kendall.

HP's BladeSystem Solution Builder Program, which includes vendors, ISVs and VARs, develops and certifies solutions for the BladeSystem platform. A number of vendors have certified their hardware for BladeSystem, including Cisco Systems, Brocade and VMWare.Among the solutions available for demand generation is HP's BladeSystem coupled with Microsoft Exchange and Marathon's FTServer, virtualization-based fault-tolerant software. It is being piloted with six VARs. Also in the works is a BladeSystem, Oracel 10g and Red Hat Linux solution that will be offered through a distributor, although HP said it has not yet completed the deal for distribution and would not release the distributor's name.

Also ready for pilots are BladeSystem and Oracle's E-Business Suite and BladeSystem, Polyserve, SQL Server solutions, Kendall said.

David Singer, vice president of marketing at Westwood Computer, a Springfield, N.J., solution provider, said the program not only certifies technology for a potential customer but also gives the HP partner literature that can be customized in addition to demand-generation help.

Westwood participated in the pilot program for the BladeSystem, Exchange, Marathon solution, said Singer. "The pilot program helped us generate leads, which was for us really exciting because we had a good response rate," he said.

Singer said HP sent out a radio-controlled race car to potential customers but without the remote control. To receive it, customers had to set up an appointment with Westwood.The "Blue Print," he said, "is branded with HP, Marathon and Microsoft but also has space where Westwood can insert its own verbiage.