HP exits identity management market

Vendor HP leaves market area after reports of channel traction

HP was experiencing a lack of channel traction for its identity management products prior to exiting the market, analyst house Ovum has asserted.

The vendor leapt into the identity management space in 2003 through its acquisition of Baltimore Technology. However, HP has confirmed to CRN that it will now focus investment in the technology exclusively on existing customers.

Graham Titterington, principal analyst at Ovum, told CRN: “Some of the other vendors such as Sun and IBM have relationships with the big five consultancies and that might have been part of the reason HP could not get the return it wanted.”

Scott Fletcher, managing director of UK-based identity management vendor Smart ID, said: “I would question whether HP ever got established in the market. When some of the big players buy niche firms they just disappear into the background.
“This is a warning to customers out there looking at this technology to ensure the vendor has a good roadmap.”