I'm returning to the Information Playground theme. There's been a flurry of acquisitions made recently by EMC. This equates to increasing the size of the geodesic dome that myself and others get to play on. When you add companies to the EMC portfolio, it results in an increasingly growing set of software monkeys swinging from bar to bar. Smart fun.
Iomega. Pi. Infra. WysDM. Document Sciences.
Are we still in 2008?
Each new company results in the churning of brain gears and what I like to call "acquisition permutation combinations". It's a fun game. But it's time for me to face the facts. The permutation combinatorials have exceeded my neuron firing capacity. I've seen it before, and there's an elegant solution.
Build an Expert System.
Can It Work?
There's an important logistical side to acquisitions as far as joining a new company. EMC has proven that it can handle the logistical integration. What I'm talking about is how to effectively choose the right combination of software assets to form new and killer products that satisfy customer needs. If it boggles the mind for an average attentive observer to figure out how to combine new software assets together, what's the strategy to even get started?
In my mind you leverage one of the laws of innovation: Experts Attract.
Consider RSA
Somewhere in the stream of acquisitions this decade RSA joined the party. If there's one characteristic of EMC acquisitions it's the practice of acquiring some incredibly bright industry experts. RSA is no exception. Their knowledge and energy when it comes to all things secure is world class.
It's also true that the number of ways to combine RSA with existing EMC technology is quite huge. Key management, for example, has many applications.
There are experts on EMC's PowerPath team. These experts are in touch with the customer desire for securing data during transfer. And being PowerPath experts, they know the capabilities of their own product:
- PowerPath runs on multiple operating systems.
- PowerPath can connect to multiple EMC storage systems.
- PowerPath can connect to multiple non-EMC storage systems.
- PowerPath supports multiple storage protocols.
- PowerPath has a portable plug-in architecture: write code once, it runs everywhere.
So the PowerPath expert thinks: I can write an encryption plug-in that works on multiple platforms, over multiple protocols, against a large number of heterogenous storage systems. This service would satisfy a HUGE need of our customers. I need to find an RSA expert.
Experts Attract. Products are the result.
Check out Chuck's description of the recent PowerPath/RSA brainpower. The formal announcement is here.
The Power of N
I've written about being "six degrees" away (n == 6) from the top of the EMC hierarchy, and I've stated that people at or around my level are now expected to lead EMC.
When I hear about a new acquisition, I don't have to consider all possible "EMC" permutations (as fun as that might be). I just have to take a one-on-one look at my expertise and compare it to the value-add of the new company. If there's a potential synergy which addresses the needs of customers that are using my particular product, then I need to drive a conversation.
If you read the content of my blog you'll know that I'm involved with Centera. When I look at the recent acquisition list, there is one clear synergy that I need to explore. Any guesses out there?
Starting The Conversation
This last part has traditionally been frustrating in the past. Multiple groups tend to descend on the new experts in an overwhelming fashion. Conversations didn't scale. Collaboration wasn't easy. But that's not so anymore. Why?
Social media at EMC.
Get that new expert contributing as soon as possible. Documents, presentations, and specifications will appear faster than before, and learning is accelerated. Conversations can be held instantly. Nobody needs to decide who gets to talk to the new expert first.
And you don't have to be a designated "expert" to contribute. Experts are "anyone who has something constructive to say".
Join The Experts
New employees at companies acquired by EMC can instantly join this "expert system". The system is worldwide.
Or you can join the old-fashioned way.
Details available at emc.com. ;>).
Steve
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