SAP Teams With Intel to Target SMBsSAP Teams With Intel to Target SMBs

SAP and Intel will jointly offer servers prepackaged with SAP's business software for midsize businesses, the two companies announced Tuesday.The offering, which brings together SAP's Business All-in-One software and modular servers based on Intel's Xeon processors, will help smaller companies reduce their total cost of ownership for IT systems, SAP said at this week's CeBIT trade show.

"The offering targets midsize companies in the manufacturing, service and trade industries and directly addresses the demands in these market segments for quick and easy implementation, and tailored yet scalable solutions at predictable costs," SAP said in a statement.

SAP is also targeting SMBs with an in-the-works hosted software offering for Internet access, which will include remote system management, at a fixed subscription fee.

The moves are part of SAP's plan to broaden its customer base beyond the enterprise. SAP recently acquired Business Objects and announced its intention to buy more small companies in the Middle East. According to Thomson Financial News partner dpa-AFX, SAP last year won 7,400 new SMB customers.Reuters