EMC Corporation, the world leader in information storage, today announced a major expansion of its professional services portfolio to include open, platform-independent storage consulting through its newly formed Information Solutions Consulting group. These new professional services offerings are being developed through an innovative, five-year "business transformation outsourcing" agreement with Accenture, the world`s leading management consulting and technology services organisation.
Business transformation outsourcing from Accenture helps clients like EMC accelerate new strategic initiatives.
"We are developing an open, platform-independent services strategy that will complement EMC`s delivery of the world`s most open networked storage solutions," said Joseph Walton, EMC Senior Vice President, Global Services.
"Just as EMC is creating platform-independent software through the AutoIS strategy, we are now developing a full range of consulting services for heterogeneous storage environments. This new group will provide customers with quantifiable measurements through business analysis of their organisation`s entire storage infrastructure and operation. This agreement will help grow, scale and transform a segment of our professional services organisation into a best-in-class provider of storage consulting, and is a natural extension of our existing capabilities."
The Information Solutions Consulting group will provide strategic storage consulting services that will help customers streamline business processes, gain efficiencies and better leverage all of their heterogeneous storage resources. The new dedicated business unit will be under the direction of EMC`s Global Services organisation with Accenture providing consulting delivery and management expertise. Both companies will assign skilled resources to the new group. The new services will be offered separately from those provided by EMC`s existing 1 400-strong professional services organisation that focuses on EMC-specific technology.
"Storage networking environments are growing larger and more complex," said Dr Kevin McIsaac, Program Director, Server Infrastructure Strategies at analyst firm Meta Group. "Increasingly, organisations are looking for services specific to the people, processes and technology in their information storage infrastructure."
Industry analyst firm IDC estimates that the storage consulting services market will grow from $2.8 billion in 2001 to more than $4 billion in 2005. While there is a growing demand for storage consulting services, no one company holds a significant lead in the field of end-to-end storage infrastructure services.
"Accenture has significant experience helping companies pursue new market opportunities and develop new capabilities," said Bill Green, group chief executive of Accenture`s Communications & High Tech operating group. "Through Accenture`s business transformation outsourcing, EMC can focus on the customer and leverage its deep knowledge of storage solutions while relying on Accenture`s extensive professional services and management experience."
Share
Accenture is the world`s leading management consulting and technology services organisation. Through its network of businesses approach - in which the company enhances its consulting and outsourcing expertise through alliances, affiliated companies and other capabilities - Accenture delivers innovations that help clients across all industries quickly realise their visions. With more than 75 000 people in 47 countries, the company generated net revenues of $11.44 billion for the fiscal year ended 31 August 2001. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
EMC
EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world leader in information storage systems, software, networks and services, providing the information infrastructure for a connected world. Information about EMC`s products and services can be found at http://www.emc.com.
Editorial contacts