HP ProCurve hints at fifth distributor

The networking division of HP admits it is looking into appointing distributor number five to push further into the voice market

Networking vendor HP ProCurve has mooted the possibility of appointing a fifth UK distributor after admitting its current line-up lacks reach into the voice channel.

ProCurve currently works with distributors Ingram Micro, Westcoast, Computer2000/Azlan and Anixter.

But Jon Weatherall, ProCurve country manager for the UK and Ireland, conceded this quartet couldn’t sufficiently address VARs supplying networking infrastructure as part of a wider voice application sale.

“We’re not planning to dramatically change the line-up, but there are other distributors who service voice capabilities in the SMB space or midmarket that have a unique customer base,” he told CRN.

“We need to make sure we can address this market and we can’t address it at the moment.”

Gartner recently ruled that ProCurve was the only challenger to Cisco in the enterprise LAN space. The vendor is also now ranked number two by sales.

In order to become a ‘leader’, however, ProCurve must first be judged a market visionary - something of which ProCurve’s vice president and general manager John McHugh is acutely aware.

“In enterprise LAN, Cisco is the only leader and HP ProCurve the only challenger,” he told CRN. “The only thing we lack is a compelling vision of the market.”

For this reason, ProCurve has just outlined a new vision for the future of networking under the banner of ‘Adaptive Networks’. The vendor will use the concept to outline how networking infrastructure can be used to fortify security, boost productivity and reduce complexity across an organisation.

When asked how partners should be evolving to reflect this change, McHugh said: “Firstly, they need to understand the Adaptive Network vision and what it represents in terms of value.

“Secondly, they need to understand how fundamental security is. We’ll make a big push in terms of training and certifications in the security space this year.”