You remember the Worldwide SMB MVP tour a few years ago. There, a third-party Small Business Server (SBS) migration kit was one of the topics presented to Microsoft Partners. Fast forward the movie a few years and it’s déjà vu all over again. Today, the HP Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Migration Program was launched.
This time it’s about the July 14, 2015 Widows Server 2003 end of support (EOS) deadline. It’s HP, along with Microsoft, using its vaunted FrontLine Partner (FLP) program to lead the Server 2003 migration parade. But there are a few differences from yesteryear. For example – the migration approach(es) that include guidance, support and resources were jointly developed by HP and Microsoft. The audience scales from enterprise down to SMB. The goal is to infuse information into the channel and the timing is important. With just a year before Server 2003 EOS arrives, the migration motion needs to start now. In the big leagues, it can take 200-days to complete a migration. Of course in the SMB world, with the sage advice from Karl Palachuk and Jeff Middleton, we know we can do it in a very short amount of time, like over a weekend. The opportunity is huge with a reported 10-million Windows Server 2003 deployments totaling over 20-million Server 2003 licenses, according to HP executives who pre-briefed me on this program. The financials are equally impressive, with HP claiming this is a $10-billion dollar opportunity. It can also be viewed as a $250,000 average engagement when completing a Windows Server 2003 migration. Big numbers for the big leagues.
“The success of customer migrations from Windows Server 2003 depends on thorough planning, disciplined migration execution and post-migration support,” said Sue Barsamian, senior vice president and general manager, Enterprise Group, HP. “Our migration approach offers partners optimal flexibility and support, whether they are transitioning their customers’ workloads to a private, public or hybrid cloud or modernizing their applications and IT infrastructure to achieve better business results.”
What is it?
Together, HP and Microsoft offer a complete portfolio of channel-optimized IT solutions, services, training, financing, and a seamless support experience to help partners drive growth and meet evolving customer needs as they transform their business environments.
“For three decades, Microsoft and HP have been jointly innovating and delivering products and solutions that provide tangible business results for our shared customers,” said Nick Parker, corporate vice president, Device Partnerships, Microsoft. “Today’s joint Windows Server 2003 EOS program announcement is another example of the differentiated end-to-end offerings that our customers and partners can rapidly and safely deploy, whether on premises with HP’s latest innovative server platforms or in the cloud with Microsoft’s Azure platform.”
In addition to providing a portfolio of solutions to tackle complex IT challenges and services to optimize business results, the HP Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Migration Program also includes the following sales, marketing, training and financing resources designed to help partners succeed:
• HP and Microsoft will offer special promotions for Server and Microsoft Operating System license combinations when a partner replaces a Windows Server 2003 installation.
• HP Financial Services offers partners competitive financial incentives and migration solutions including technology refresh, trade in, duel usage and transition services designed to accelerate sales cycles and increase win rates.
• Sales enablement and training resources, including access to HP sales plays and new tools to simplify customer migration assessments.
• The Windows 2003 End-of Support Event Kit includes presentation content and event tools to accelerate partners’ pre-sales process.
• Co-marketing assets to help partners capture opportunity and drive growth.
Stay tuned as we continue to cover this news.
