The upcoming Dell and EMC merger has provided the industry with plenty of fodder for speculation.
What will the new company look like? How will Dell and EMC address product overlaps? Does it signal a new direction in the EMC/VMware converged infrastructure play?
At this stage, there are some things we know for sure the merger. 1) Dell and EMC have their work cut out for them. You don’t assimilate a $67 billion business without breaking a few eggs. 2) Wall Street is betting that the combined business is a success as the debt related to the merger is oversubscribed and VMWare’s stock has risen steadily after an initial dip.
From my perspective, the merger makes sense, particularly for customers. The IT industry as a whole is moving toward simplicity, and being able to buy end-to-end solutions that include servers, storage, virtualization and cloud components all from one vendor is not only simple but also smart. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Dell and EMC teams over the years, and there are clear synergies (as well as differences) that will play out over the next 12 months. Here are five things to look for from the merger:
1. More Innovation
EMC and Dell invest billions of dollars in research and development. While Dell has some incredibly talented people on their side, the acquisition of the EMC brain trust ups the ante on innovation considerably. Look for new ideas to come out of the Dell/EMC merger as these two very smart companies put their heads together.
2. More Integration
It goes without saying that Dell, EMC, and VMware will work hard to ensure their products work together extremely well. At the same time, customers can expect that those products will continue to integrate well with solutions outside of the Dell portfolio.
3. A Deeper Cloud Perspective
EMC and VMware are deeply entrenched in the cloud movement. Dell, for its part, has focused more on “cloud ready” products than cloud-enabling solutions. Look for that to change as Dell shifts from the cloud sidelines to center stage.
4. Best-of-Breed Solutions
Dell, EMC, and VMware each have “gaps” in their portfolio which they can now fill by fitting their companies together. Best-of-breed solutions featuring Dell servers, EMC storage, and VMware software are likely in the offing.
5. Rolta AdvizeX in the Center of It All
Most of our customers know that we’ve been longstanding and leading partners to EMC and VMware, but fewer know that we’re also a top tier Dell partner too. Over the last year, we’ve made a significant commitment to growing our Dell partnership with new certifications and deeper executive relationships.
EMC and Dell together promises to be a win-win for customers. In the meantime, as the two companies merge, you can continue to count on Rolta AdvizeX for honest, unbiased advice on technology that moves your business forward. ▪