H-P and Cisco Looking Less Like Partners - Digits - WSJ.com

Stimulus-response?…

His company has had a networking business for about 25 years. But H-P is also a major reseller of Cisco hardware, too. The latest announcements come as the computer maker seems to be de-emphasizing that strategy–and not long after word leaked out that Cisco may be entering the computer business with a device known as a blade server ((http://blogs.wsj.com/biztech/2008/12/12/cisco-pushing-further-into-the-data-center/)), encroaching on turf occupied by companies that include H-P, IBM and Dell.

H-P began building up its ProCurve division last year, after it completed its acquisition of EDS, the big services company. Mr. Haas, who had been in a corporate strategy role, became the ProCurve chief with the aim of boosting its sales. In recent months, he said, H-P has decided to invest in developing and marketing its ProCurve equipment, and encouraging its salesforce to hawk ProCurve products, rather than Cisco’s. For example, he said, salespeople in H-P’s business hardware group now have a quota of ProCurve sales they’re supposed to meet.

H-P and Cisco Looking Less Like Partners - Digits - WSJ.com