Stacy Cowley

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) is preparing a data centre management software and services package that it claims will lower ownership costs 10 per cent to 50 per cent and offer businesses a system for dynamically reconfiguring a data centre's infrastructure to adapt to fluctuating resource requirements.

The planned mega-merger between Hewlett-Packard Co. and Compaq Computer Corp. presents Dell Computer Corp. with "more of an opportunity" than a threat, Dell's chairman and chief executive officer boasted Wednesday.

Dell Computer Corp. and market-leading enterprise storage vendor EMC Corp. said Monday they have formed a five-year, multibillion dollar alliance under which Dell will become the primary reseller of the newly co-branded EMC Clariion portfolio of enterprise storage systems.

With U.S. customer demand for a broad array of IT products continuing to slump and European markets showing signs of a similar slowdown, the near-future outlook for IT vendors is bleak, said channel research and consulting firm Global Touch Inc.

Verizon Communications Inc. officials said Friday they are "hopeful

Microsoft Corp. said Monday it is planning a release "early" in the first half of 2002 of Windows Datacenter Server Limited Edition, the next edition of its enterprise-aimed operating system.

Struggling At Home Corp., best known for its Excite@Home brand, suffered its second major setback this week as cable system owners Cox Communications Inc. and Comcast Cable Communications Inc. notified the company that they will terminate their distribution agreements, effective June 4, 2002.

Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) shareholders rebuffed Sam Wyly's dramatic bid to shake up the company's board of directors, with more than 75 per cent voting to retain the 10 incumbent board members in Wednesday's preliminary vote tabulation.