Windows Server 2003 transition and HP's strategy

INDIA: HP has announced a new program, developed in conjunction with Microsoft, to enable channel partners to capitalize on the $10 billion opportunity presented as customers transition from Windows Server 2003.

As Microsoft ends support for Windows Server 2003, customers are turning to HP channel partners for help assessing, planning and implementing their migration. With the HP Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Migration Program, partners can rapidly and safely meet customer needs with reduced risk and cost, increased return on investment, and fast implementation, it explained.

"The success of customer migrations from Windows Server 2003 depends on thorough planning, disciplined migration execution and post-migration support," said Neelam Dhawan, vice president and general manager, Enterprise Group and Country Managing Director, HP India."Our migration approach offers partners optimal flexibility and support, whether they are transitioning their customers' workloads to a private, public or hybrid cloud or modernizing their applications and IT infrastructure to achieve better business results."

The announcement highlights that together, HP and Microsoft offer a complete portfolio of channel-optimized IT solutions, services, training, financing and a seamless support experience to help partners drive growth and meet evolving customer needs as they transform their business environments.

These offerings include HP SMB Flex-Bundles, engineered for Microsoft workloads with Microsoft Azure as a cloud backup solution, and Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, which provides a best-in-class server experience that helps partners cost-effectively cloud-optimize customers' businesses, with alignment to Microsoft's Azure service.

"For three decades, Microsoft and HP have been jointly innovating and delivering products and solutions that provide tangible business results for our shared customers," said Nick Parker, corporate vice president, Device Partnerships, Microsoft. "Today's joint Windows Server 2003 EOS program announcement is another example of the differentiated end-to-end offerings that our customers and partners can rapidly and safely deploy, whether on premises with HP's latest innovative server platforms or in the cloud with Microsoft's Azure platform."