Moving up the market chain: Compaq adds consulting and integration initiatives

With hopes of becoming a Tier 1 integrator for enterprise and service providers, Compaq last week announced a network consulting and integration initiative that will help customers implement bandwidth-intensive Internet applications such as videoconferencing, unified messaging, voice over Internet protocol, distance learning and electronic commerce.

Compaq's new services, an outgrowth from the expertise gained with its Digital Equipment Corp. acquisition, will focus on providing applications in four segments of the network architecture: Internet network services, management, network transport and security.

"The network infrastructure needs to adapt rapidly and support unlimited growth. We want to allow our customers to readily adapt to the new dynamic world," said Patrick Smythe, Compaq's vice president of marketing for Internet and network infrastructure services.

Compaq has added six partners-BMC Software, Entrust Technologies, NetScout Systems, Nortel Networks, PictureTel Corp. and Tivoli Systems-to help develop, design and implement these new applications for its customers.

"We want to tie business processes into the network architecture that allow businesses to move ahead and accept new demands without having a forklift taken to it," said Debbie Joy, technical director for Internet and network infrastructure for Compaq. "Our approach is that the whole is greater than the sum."

Some Internet service providers have signed on for Compaq to help them provide unified messaging. Compaq does the pilot, provides a return-on-investment and user satisfaction survey, and will then spread the application across the infrastructure.

Compaq plans to add services for carriers during the second quarter. Later this year, it will introduce network services designed for channel partners to deliver to small and medium-sized businesses.