Just a few thoughts on the Dell/EMC takeover/merger or whatever you want to call it.
- In a world where IT companies have been busy splitting themselves up; think HP, Symantec, IBM divesting from server business…it seems a brave move to build a new IT behemoth.
- However; some of the restructuring already announced hints at a potential split in how Dell do business. Dell Enterprise to be run out of Hopkinton and using EMC’s Enterprise smarts in this space.
- Dell have struggled to build a genuine storage brand since going their different ways; arguably their acquisitions have under-performed.
- VMware is already under attack from various technologies – VMware under control of hardware server vendor would have been a problem a decade ago but might be less so as people have more choices for both virtualising Heritage applications and Cloud-Scale. VMware absolutely now have to get their container strategy right.
- EMC can really get to grips with how to build their hyper-converged appliances and get access to Dell’s supply chain.
- That EMC have been picked up by a hardware vendor just shows how hard it is to transition from a hardware company to a software company.
- A spell in purdah seems necessary for any IT company trying to transition their business model. Meeting the demands of the market seems to really hamper innovation and change. EMC were so driven by a reporting cycle, it drove very poor behaviours.
- All those EMC guys who transitioned away from using Dell laptops to various MacBooks…oh dear!
- I doubt this is yet a done deal and expect more twists and turns! But good luck to all my friends working at both companies! May it be better!