The longer term future for software infrastructure, according to Robison, involves moving from Web services to grid services, the next phase of standards and protocols for delivering both hardware and software as a service. "Web services are a precursor to grid computing," Robison said. However, he cautioned that grid computing for commercial applications in its infancy. "The theory is really good, but most deployments are non-existent."
HP plans to grid-enable its entire portfolio within the next 18 to 24 months, according to Nora Denzel, senior vice president of software for HP. "This is our stake in the ground," Denzel said. HP has recently launched consulting services, extensions to its OpenView management software, a Grid Resource Topology Designer, and utility computing services compatible with grid standards.
IBM, Sun, Microsoft and others are following a similar path, cobbling together a portfolio of products and services to address the nascent commercial grid market.
HP has also made some acquisitions to fill out its own product portfolio. The company recently acquired Baltimore Technologies' SelectAccess technology, which provides role-based identity management services, and Talking Blocks, a service-oriented framework for managing Web services.
Does HP's general contractor approach -- combining its enterprise product portfolio, strategic partnerships and migration to open standards -- add up to a coherent, differentiated philosophy; a palpable centre of gravity? Somewhat, given HP's more agnostic software stance. But the proof, as always, is in how the company executes on its low cost, high tech, happy customer formula.
Trying to encapsulate any company's centre of gravity in words like innovative, customer focused, low cost/high tech or general contractor will always seem flimsy and insubstantial. I asked Robison more specifically to zero in on HP's fundamental differentiation from its biggest and strongest rival, IBM. "Our biggest enterprise customers want and need an alternative to IBM," Robison said. "You can't underestimate being an alternative."
In a consolidating enterprise technology landscape, being an alternative isn't exactly an inspired centre of gravity, a point of greatest importance. Robison's appraisal is pragmatic -- a credible alternative to IBM at a time when customers can't easily differentiate among complex offerings and fear vendor lock-in can be a galvanising force. On the other hand, "alternative" has a resonance of "second choice."
It may be that HP's centre of gravity -- or that of any other company -- is a moving target, and the company's success will be tied to its ability to adapt to changes that the market and customers dictate. From that perspective, HP's notion of the adaptive enterprise -- or even IBM's on demand initiative -- is geared toward having an IT infrastructure that effectively supports moving targets. The challenge for CTO Robison will be implementing the company's adaptive enterprise blueprint for his own needs and, more importantly, identifying where to steer the wide-ranging ship.
