It's official today, for now anyway. Dell and EMC are back together doing the old shoop shoop dedupe after trying to ignore each other for much of the last year.
OMG! I wasn't sure who to call first, my agent, the paparazzi or Dr. Phil to talk this over with. Like, this was SOOOO predictable - like, you know - two people that start out as adversaries become attracted to each other out of financial necessity and then they find out, like, they don't really have that much in common, except that, like, they sort of need each other to use as an excuse when they are, like trying to get out of other situations that they don't, like, you know, like very much?
Will this relationship become the longest running technology soap opera of all time? The rumor mill has been pretty quiet lately concerning Dell's plans to acquire technology companies and create more leverage and generate higher margins. So how is a new deal with an old flame going to help them do that? I can only guess that the EqualLogic business at Dell has not panned out as well for Dell as they have been saying. Perhaps storage investogators Chris Mellor, Beth Pariseau or Simon Sharwood can dig up something about this?
As it is with so many sales relationships, it will only last as long as the tricks that the respective sales forces play on each other don't get too nasty. Somebody is going to make more money than the other and the one with the smaller surprise won't be very happy when they find out their party is a bring your own event.
Good luck to both for having done something they will probably both regret, but never admit to having any.
Too funny!
Like any serious relationship, both partners have to invest time in making it work. I think that's what you're seeing here -- a continuing and fundamental investment on both sides to get to a win-win for customers.
Although I'll agree -- the gossip angle is the most interesting one.
Thanks for a light moment!
-- Chuck
Posted by: Chuck Hollis | March 24, 2010 at 01:59 PM