Single IT stack provider

[nicholab]

Now that you can buy your whole IT stack from Dell or HP will you be moving to a single IT provider?

 

Buy IT stack I mean

Workstation

Network

Servers

Storage

Backup

Application/Imaging management

 

Part of my thinks that Dell could develop this quite well as it sells direct to schools so if it can create hole proposal including financing the kit over the life time. This is also a challenge to RM who have attempted to provide this approach.

[featured_spectre]

One added thing that would be good on top of this would be Wireless, which I know HP do, but not Dell (to my knowledge). A completely unified system is not the worst thing, but that may leave you locked in when it comes to future purchases, which could be the downfall to the system.

[pete]

My fear would be they'd pull an Oracle once you're heavily invested.

[qcomer]

I prefer to split it up because I like different vendors for different products.

 

Dell for Servers/Desktops/Laptops

ASUS for Netbooks

EMC for SAN/Storage

HP for network and printers

Ruckus for wireless

etc

 

I like them all for different types of products.

[jamesfed]

Servers, Notebooks, (some) Desktops, Switches and Printers are all HP here.

Aerohive for wireless

We also try to stick to Microsoft products for software (DPM for backup, TMG for firewall) simply because its cheaper.

 

On occasion we use Acer for notebooks but only because their timeline series lasts forever on battery.

[glennda]

I wouldn't want to put all my eggs in one basket like that. And also from my experience going direct never tends to get you the cheapest prices when it comes to the big players such as HP ( i don't tend to by dell as i don't like the kit!).

My Breakdown is

Servers/Storage/Switching > HP

Cisco Wireless (not amazing and rarely used now)

Desktops > Stone

Laptops (only have 3/4 for assemblies) > HP

Printers > HP/Brother/Ricoh MFD's

[john]

I don't mind using a chunk of stuff from the same vendor, for us it works out as:

Workstations & Printers- HP

Multi-Function devices - Toshiba

Netbooks - Samsung

Network - Juniper (wired) Ruckus (wireless)

Servers - HP

Storage - Oracle/Sun

Backup - CA (software) and Quantum (hardware)

Application/Imaging management - Microsoft

 

So a bit of HP loving