Following the successful launch of its dedicated software division late last year Hewlett-Packard southern Africa is expanding the operation and bringing electronic business solutions into the fold.
Gary de Menezes, the software business manager, says this is the next step in ensuring southern Africa plays its part in HP's global goal to generate 10 percent of revenue through software sales by 2000.
With increased awareness of the need for enterprise security solutions in the financial, manufacturing, government and information technology industries, the region represents a market worth hundreds of millions of rands. HP expects to become a major player in this arena, says de Menezes.
"Our electronic business solution set encompasses enterprise security, intelligent process management [previously known as 'workflow'] and specialised call centre software tools.
"The southern African operation will focus on the former two offerings this year. Once a channel is in place for the successful delivery and implementation of those solutions, we will branch into the burgeoning telecommunications space."
Regarding this channel de Menezes says HP is to apply a model similar to that used late last year when appointing business partners for the HP OpenView range of enterprise systems and network management solutions. Appointments are expected to begin second quarter this year.
"We will continue to follow the lead of our parent company, driving for 80 percent of business to be derived via an indirect model. And as a result we will partner with value added resellers that boast skills in each of the enterprise security and process management fields rather than looking for one company to handle both," says de Menezes.
Of the products to be launched through the broadened local channel, modules from HP's Praesidium range will be first. Praesidium, HP's flagship enterprise security solution, is designed to safeguard intranets and extranets for electronic business.
"We are bringing the latest Praesidium VirtualVault Web application security platform into the region - version 3.5. It is expected to find much favour in the financial services arena although it's equally suited to securing supply chain, customer relationship management and e-commerce Web applications," says de Menezes.
"Praesidium DomainGuard and DomainGuard Rules powerful Web authorisation management tools - will also feature. These products are designed to simplify the process of creating and managing a secure Web environment within which customers, business partners and employees can perform transactions and share sensitive information."
More information on Hewlett-Packard's Internet security products can be found on www.hp.com/security.
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Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognised for excellence in quality and support. HP has 124 600 employees and had revenue of $47,1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year.
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