HP, SAP Team Up for Rapid-Deployment Cloud CRM Offering

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It’s essentially the same pitch as all cloud-hosted applications, so say it with me — customers will be able to experience lower TCO and higher overall ROI, along with a scalability boost, thanks to a pay-as-you-go model and delivery from secure data centers. As for the “rapid deployment” element, SAP said in the press release the software comes preconfigured with services and content, enabling deployment in “as little as eight weeks.”

HP and SAP have been doing business together for 20 years, so it’s not at all odd for the two are dovetailing their cloud strategies.

Honestly, it sounds extremely similar to the deal SAP struck with Red Hat to deliver CRM from the Amazon Web Services cloud, and I have the same questions: Will service providers deploy SAP CRM for their customers from the HP Enterprise Services cloud? And how will SAP’s cloud hosting partnerships impact its SAP Business ByDesign SaaS business (not to mention subsidiary Sybase’s cloud moves)? Oh, and where do rival cloud-friendly CRM providers Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics fit into the equation?

Stay tuned to TalkinCloud as we pursue answers.