ETI-NET – Your HPE Partner in times where Partnerships are part of the new normal!

News headlines persist in reminding us that the past is firmly in the past and that in these times normalcy is just an extension of what we are doing today. This new normal may not be to everyone’s taste but its inescapable the way we work, shop and socialize has changed fundamentally and that for the foreseeable future, it is what it is. At ETI-NET we have a history of working remotely and so this hasn’t impacted the way we do business to any great extent but even so, its’ changed some of the assumptions that underpinned the way we do business.

For many years we have been an important partner of the HPE NonStop team. At the very heart of our partnership is our BackBox product line – BackBox (BB) and virtual BackBox (vBB). It has been while working with our partner, HPE, that we have seen an uptick of interest in clouds. Hybrid IT may be all about the coexistence of traditional systems and private clouds, but as HPE continues to push deeper into its strategy of “core to edge available as a service,” it is bringing the cloud experience to Hybrid IT. None of which comes as a surprise to ETI-NET as we have known for some time that with Hybrid IT and the core to edge, CEO Neri has placed renewed emphasis on clouds and the cloud experience and this suits ETI-NET. “HPE can use BackBox in its cloud to offer backup for its NonStop,” said ETI-NET COO, Sylvain Tétreault.

Partnerships are a part of the new normal for many reasons. Obviously, when a combination of partnerships exists, the purchasing process is greatly simplified. However, there are many more reasons that successful partnerships thrive better in times like this, it’s not just the purchase simplification but the ability to converse with a small number of parties when looking to leverage new capabilities. This knowledge is further enhanced through the awareness that partners have themselves conversed and have tested the joint operation of products within the partnership.

Take security, for instance, where there are many moving parts and where constant monitoring of ways to minimize threats results in a steady stream of enhancements and updates. In our article published last month, we outlined the steps we plan to take with our banking customers. As we wrote las month, “Covered in these exchanges were some of the security and compliance requirements we were already aware of but validation of our implementation was important for us,” said Tétreault. “There is still more work to be done in this regard but we continue to work closely with our customers to ensure our approach meets their security requirements.”

It was with this outline that we also referenced a partnership apart from HPE. When it came time for ETI-NET to add two-factor authentication logins (also a requirement of our banking customers), ETI elected to work with XYPRO and its NonStop team on a solution. In so doing ETI-NET clearly reinforced the notion that partnerships are all part of the new normalcy. It then should come as no surprise that the NonStop team will be hosting a number of partner-only webinars in the coming weeks. The NonStop team has maintained a tradition of informing partners of what is to be covered in the upcoming NonStop Technical Boot Camp (TBC) ahead of the event. This they have done to ensure partners can be better prepared to discuss new products and features announced at TBC with their customers and prospects.

While we aren’t expecting any surprises coming from these webinars, we are more than certain that the value from partnering will be a topic that will be covered and where the NonStop team sees value continuing to be created. While the NonStop team remains focused on the key components of the NonStop software stack, it’s always been a source of pride for the NonStop team to know that there are many products and features available to the NonStop user community that have been funded by NonStop partners. This is unique to the HPE product portfolio with NonStop now having the largest group of development partners of all products being sold today by HPE.

For those of our customers that remember the Alliance Program that Tandem Computers supported (and that led to the creation of ITUG and the RUG communities that followed), we aren’t expecting a return to those days. However, from the discussions we have had with the NonStop team, “ETI-NET is encouraged to see just how supportive HPE NonStop is of partners,” said Tétreault. There is everything normal about fostering an ecosystem of partners and in these times of the new normal, we are pleased to see such encouragement persist. There is no doubt that the sum of the parts coming from an ecosystem focused on NonStop ensures that the needs of the NonStop user community are fully met and the cooperation now being witnessed as partners talk to partners is just another normal pursuit ensuring continued support of NonStop within an enterprise.

As for the upcoming TBC, we will be announcing our plans for participation next month. Look for details of the topics we will cover closer to the date of TBC. Should you have any questions as to what we will be discussing at TBC, then give us a call or simply email us – we would be happy to talk with you any time. And stay safe; maintain separation, let’s get through this pandemic together!

Said Hini
said.hini@etinet.com (514) 663-0501

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