Microsoft and HP launch business blitz

$300m campaign aimed at enterprise offerings.

Microsoft and HP have rolled out plans to expand their joint enterprise offerings.

The two companies said at a press conference that they will be launching a US$300m campaign geared towards business IT systems.

The project will include new offerings in unified communications, content management and business intelligence, as well as process integration and what Microsoft refers to as "core infrastructure".

"Very rarely can you find a set of five solutions that requires the portfolio that's shared between our two institutions," said Ann Livermore, vice president of HP's technology solutions group.

HP will also beef up its sales and support staff, adding more than 3,000 Microsoft trained consultants.

"We have tens of thousands of professionals today that are ready to go to market," said John McCain, senior vice president and general manager of HP services.

The companies hope that the partnership will give each an edge in the growing business infrastructure market, which Microsoft estimates will be worth nearly US$50bn in 2007.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after Microsoft launched new versions of its two flagship business products, Windows Vista and Office 2007.

"This is just another add-on to the huge launches and initiatives that we have had," said Kevin Turner, Microsoft's chief operating officer.