CHANNEL NEWS

Unisys Corp. is tapping BMC Software Inc.'s solutions to help the Blue Bell, Pa.-based systems integrator deliver better service to its customers.

With service-level agreements increasingly being used as a way to guarantee a minimum level of service, the partnership will provide customers with a method to monitor service-level agreements.

Under the agreement, Unisys will leverage BMC solutions to manage its systems, enabling separate monitoring and management of underlying operating systems, databases and applications. Unisys provides remote systems management for a variety of national and international customers.

"Utilizing BMC Software's solutions, Unisys is now able to extend its service portfolio to a true business value," said Erick Koridon, channel manager for BMC of Houston. "Without combined offerings, Unisys has the ability to provide its clients guaranteed maximum availability and performance of its end-user applications."IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., and J.D. Edwards & Co., Denver, are expanding their long-standing relationship to sell and market collaborative commerce solutions to selected markets and accounts within the public sector and wholesale distribution industries.

J.D. Edwards will lead in new sales opportunities with software, servers and services provided by IBM. In the public-sector market,

J.D. Edwards will target the state and local fiscal management segment. J.D. Edwards develops electronic business software.

Products such as WorldSoftware and OneWorld Xe applications will be put on IBM's DB2 Universal Database and will work with IBM eServer products. IBM also will provide consulting, customization and integration services for joint IBM and J.D. Edwards solutions.Novell Inc., Salt Lake City, and EMC Corp., Hopkinton, Mass., have formed a cooperative support agreement to help joint customers. Novell makes network services software and EMC develops information storage systems.

The agreement will help the two companies answer service calls and reduce customer downtime. The companies will provide technical support to mutual customers by offering a one-call solution. Mutual customers must hold support contracts with both Novell and EMC.

"Novell's vision of one net will not become a reality on the strength of products and technologies alone," said Mike Lyons, Novell vice president and general manager of the Novell customer services unit. "Today's support agreement with EMC is in line with net market trends, and it illustrates the valuable services component of one net."

Customers expect EMC products to operate with Novell software, but customers also expect integrated services that help ensure the operations of business-critical systems, he said.Robbins-Gioia LLC, Alexandria, Va., announced the availability of its Portfolio Management Solution to help executives make decisions that align with their companies' goals and initiatives.

The solution aligns investments with strategic missions, business goals and outcomes, and identifies links and gaps between organizational strategies and business plans and investments.

"A portfolio is a grouping of capabilities, resources, management and related investments that are required to accomplish a mission-related or [business] outcome," said Kevin McManus, Robbins-Gioia vice president for strategic operations.

Measuring outcomes, performance and expected return on investment are important parts of the solution, he said.