HP’s Autonomy buy: How to do an IBM
In buying Autonomy and moving away from hardware, HP is mirroring a close rival in the form of IBM, which might just bring it the success it craves.
The purchase of Autonomy and the strategy realignment also mark a significant attack on Big Data something HP's rivals have been targeting in earnest with analytics and business intelligence offerings flooding the market. One of those rivals is Oracle, who have not enjoyed the most amicable of relationships with HP of late.
No doubt HP would be delighted to upset the market with its Autonomy purchase. Oracle, meanwhile, will be looking on wondering whether HP has just made a seriously smart purchase one that threatens to steal customers from Larry Ellison's firm.
Onlookers have noted the similarities between Autonomy and Oracle, hinting HP is really going for its rival's data management jugular.
If HP can make it to the top of the Big Data league, it will not only see some serious financial gains, it will be able to look over at Ellison and its ex CEO Mark Hurd with a renewed smugness.
"Autonomy has long been regarded as the 'king of search' for the enterprise, particularly since it acquired its 'larger' rival Verity in 2005," Davis said.
"But in recent years it has expanded, through both adept positioning and the strategic acquisition of 'best of breed' solutions, and its range of technologies have consequently migrated it into the eDiscovery, and enterprise content management (ECM) arenas, to the extent that Ovum was considering it as the UK's Oracle."
Apotheker certainly feels confident about overtaking its close competitor. "Autonomy presents an opportunity to accelerate our strategic vision to decisively and profitably lead a large and growing space," he said.
If HP can make it to the top of the Big Data league, it will not only see some serious financial gains, it will be able to look over at Ellison and its ex CEO Mark Hurd with a renewed smugness. A double win, if you will.
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