Compaq, BMC, Aprisma join forces

Combining their respective strengths — in network, systems and applications management, and the implementation of services — a trio of companies announced Tuesday a formal partnership focused on bringing integrated solutions to federal agencies.

Forming the alliance are BMC Software Inc., a provider of enterprise management tools, Compaq Computer Corp., and Aprisma Management Technologies, which specializes in service-level intelligent solutions.

The companies will deliver ServiceLevel/Rx, an initiative that combines BMC's Patrol enterprise management suite and Aprisma's Spectrum infrastructure management platform with design and implementation services from Compaq Global Services.

"This is a robust solution that crosses a number of different technology areas, including applications and operating systems.... There's a lot of moving pieces," said Phil Quigley, BMC's vice president of partnerships and emerging markets for North America. "This is the "single throat to choke' that shows we're committed formally to making the technologies work together."

Several federal agencies use products from BMC and Aprisma, and the partnership trifecta will focus on bringing ServiceLevel/Rx to existing and new customers, said Trent Waterhouse, director of product marketing at Aprisma. He said all three companies were working with one another independently, and it was just a matter of getting the right people in the same room together to formalize the partnership.

"This [partnership] offers a rapid time to value," Waterhouse said. "We don't need two to three years, but weeks or months of work to show tangible reductions in repair or new service rollout and delivery. This is not an experiment."

Compaq uses the solution to manage its own information technology infrastructure. In order to bring it to more customers, the company is increasing the number of Patrol-certified professional services consultants available in the field, said Christoph Wittmer, a project manager for Compaq Global Service's FutureSourcing Practice.

BMC's Quigley said his company's federal team would work with Compaq's group to improve the way both companies do business with agencies. "There are clearly defined roles in the process, and this is about improving the odds of successful implementation and providing value, which are expected by the agencies."

ServiceLevel/Rx is available immediately from Compaq Global Services.