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Introduction to Selling
Servers, Storage,
Networking and Services
2014
Study guide
Study guide
Study guide
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5
Before you begin ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Segmentation ......................................................................................................................... 6
Top business and IT initiatives.................................................................................................................. 6
Main business drivers................................................................................................................................ 6
Market segments and growth maturity model ........................................................................................ 6
Just Right IT (JRIT)..................................................................................................................................... 7
Sample test question ................................................................................................................................ 9
Portfolio overview ................................................................................................................ 11
HP Servers ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Data protection ....................................................................................................................................... 13
HP Storage .............................................................................................................................................. 13
HP Networking ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Proactive Care Core components ......................................................................................................... 16
HP Technology services .......................................................................................................................... 17
Sample test question .............................................................................................................................. 19
Products and Solutions .......................................................................................................... 21
Technology Services ............................................................................................................................... 21
Servers .................................................................................................................................................... 22
Networking .............................................................................................................................................. 24
Storage .................................................................................................................................................... 26
Sample test question .............................................................................................................................. 28
Aligning with the customer .................................................................................................... 30
Four types of buyers ............................................................................................................................... 30
Sales Engagement Types ........................................................................................................................ 31
Business Drivers, Issues and Initiatives .................................................................................................. 32
Customers Vital Issues ........................................................................................................................... 32
The Buying Cycle ..................................................................................................................................... 33
Sample test question .............................................................................................................................. 35
Delivering customer value ..................................................................................................... 37
Key value differentiators ........................................................................................................................ 37
Objection handling .................................................................................................................................. 38
Study guide
Study guide
Introduction
This study guide is designed as a supplement to the HP Sales Certified Introduction to selling Servers,
Storage, Networking and Services 2014 web-based or instructor-led training. Completing the training
course is the best way to prepare for the HP Sales Certified Introduction to selling Servers, Storage,
Networking and Services exam. This guide is a supplement and is not intended to replace the education
you get from the class; it is a review and will help prepare you for the exam. The combination of the
course and the study guide offers the following advantages:
The study guide is easily accessible from any computer with access to the HP Sales Certified
Introduction to selling Servers, Storage, Networking and Services 2014 course.
You can read the study guide on a day and time convenient to your schedule.
You can work at a pace that best suits your learning style.
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Segmentation
Top business and IT initiatives
There are five top business and IT initiatives, they include:
All customers are alike in their desire to meet their business needs; however there are distinct
sectors with different needs. Identify those differences to increase productivity and enable HP
SMB solutions to be tailored accordingly.
Customer segmentation subdividing customers into groups that are similar in order to
prospect and uncover their needs more efficiently.
Beat your competitors
Boost your revenues better prospect targeting
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Security
Simplicity of IT infrastructure
Scalability
IT variety & choice
a. Incorrect: The Security initiative will help a customer to secure their assets and data and
provide solutions for comprehensive back-up and recovery capability.
b. Correct: The Simplicity of IT infrastructure business initiative is the most compelling to SMBs
who are looking for a simple architecture that will help them avoid IT silos and the need for IT
specialists.
c. Incorrect: While the Scalability initiative can help a SMB avoid IT silos, most business that are
looking for scalability are looking to consolidate their infrastructure and reduce complexity.
They are interested in flexibility, agility, and controlling costs.
d. Incorrect: The IT variety & choice business initiative will help a customer who wants choice.
These customers want to be led to the right IT infrastructure solutions that will help reduce
costs and accomplish their business requirements.
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Portfolio overview
Although these topics are not essential for preparing for the exam, we believe that the following
sections in the course contain valuable information about selling servers, storage, networking, and
services and should still be reviewed.
To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about the Portfolio
overview.
HP Servers
This chart shows how our server portfolio fits into the customer maturity stage:
Industry-first location intelligence and power discovery Reduce power and airflow, reclaim
limited space, reduce error prone manual checking and documenting power and rack
configurations
HP ProLiant Gen8 servers Customer-driven innovation Eliminates common tasks and
problems that can cause downtime and data loss.
HP Insight Management Automates and simplifies system provisioning, troubleshooting, and
firmware and software updates
Smart Memory Performance tuned and optimized for HP ProLiant Gen8 servers
HP ProLiant Gen8 servers Tool-less access, Smart socket guide
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Value to customers - ROI in 5 months, 65% more performance for the same power and space,
30 days per year less admin, 66% faster time to problem resolution, 0% increase in
transactional workload, 1000x resilience for critical data, 3x faster deployment
Four Pillars of HP ProLiant was based on customer requests and built on HP innovations.
Integrated Lifecycle Automation
o HP Proactive Insight architecture: Clients gain insight and capabilities that
automate and simplify system provisioning, troubleshooting, and firmware and
software updates
o Industry-first HP Active Health system Embedded tools, simplified firmware and
software maintenance, and agentless management. Use intelligent automation.
o Intelligent provisioning Get systems online three times faster with a fully
integrated system and OS configuration tool.
o Smart Update A system maintenance tool that systematically updates servers
and blade infrastructures at the scale of the data center.
Dynamic Workload Acceleration
o Eliminates cost and complexity
o Solid state optimized
o Smart data protection
o Smart data services
Automated Energy Optimization
o Reduce the power and airflow needed to operate HP ProLiant Gen8 servers.
o Reclaim space, power and cooling resources for workloads
o Reduces error prone manual checking and documenting of power and rack
configurations
HP Proactive Service Support
o Insight Online Industrys first comprehensive cloud-based, IT management and
support portal
o Keeps IT systems and business up and running
Since HP does not eliminate intelligence, automation, and differentiation when it develops a
server at a lower price point, you are still able to offer the same variety of services that you
would with a more expensive product.
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Data protection
All businesses need to manage infrastructure to ensure consistent access to business-critical data and
protect against unforeseen downtime and outages. Data protection can seem complex to many small
businesses, therefore some leave their data unprotected.
You can help organizations understand the need for data protection and the options available. In some
cases, there are even government or industry regulations that require your clients to save data for a
set amount of time. These clients should consider StoreEver family products.
HP Storage
Where they fit into the portfolio
HP Thin Technologies
Allows a volume to be created and made available without the need to dedicate physical
storage until it is actually needed
HP 3PAR Thin Provisioning Software is the gold standard for simplicity and efficiency
Uses the industrys only Built-in hardware architecture to remove allocated but unused
space without impacting performance
HP StoreOnce Deduplication Federated de-duplication
Features consistent, high-performance architecture
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HP Converged Storage
Provides single architecture to cover storage needs from low to high, with converged
protocol access across Block, Object, and File.
ROI to the power of 3 Return on information, return on infrastructure, and return on
individuals
Polymorphic Storage or Common Tier-1 Data Services from Mid-range, High End, and Flash
HP 3PAR StoreServ Storage modern storage systems to meet the needs of small to large
data centers running business applications up through enterprise-wide deployment of
mission-critical applications.
HP 3PAR StoreServ enables a single-system architecture to exist in several forms from low
to high and can grow in any direction. However, it retains common Tier-1 data services
without introducing/supporting a new storage architecture
Enterprise storage features at mid-sized prices HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000
Reduce time spent managing storage
Reduce capacity requirements by 50%
Grow with freedom in any direction
Get Thin Guarantee
Move to HP 3PAR StoreServ reduces storage capacity requirements by 50%
Free storage assessment shows how HPs built-in Thin Technologies offer the most
comprehensive thin solution in industry
Get Virtual Guarantee
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HP 3PAR StoreServ Storage is the only storage platform in industry to come with VMware
virtual machine density guarantee
Customers achieve 2x VM density on physical servers in existing VMware vSphere
environments
StoreOnce Deduplication
Faster backups patented variable chunking and intelligent container-matching
technologies performance 3x faster than competition
Backup and run faster after recovery HP restores 32TB/hr 5x faster than competitors
Recovery performance up to 80% of its backup performance
HP Networking
Elements of networks
Switches connect devices via Ethernet so that they can talk to each other.
Routers connect multiple networks so that users in one location can communicate with
users in another location. Servers connect devices, routers connect networks.
Wireless Access Points Allow businesses to handle personal devices and disparate
services (Wi-Fi, text messages, smartphones, apps, and so on). This makes it easy for
customers to do business with them and enables employees and vendors to stay connected
away from the workplace.
HP OfficeConnect New name and identity for HP Networking SMB portfolio
Ideal for organizations in Starting Out or Building Momentum phases
Strongly associated with quality and value
Where they fit
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Advanced Solution Center Technical Solution Specialists delivers a premium call experience:
Rapid connection to specialists with advanced solution skills
On shore/near shore support backed by HPs global delivery organization
Single Point of Contact for end-to-end case ownership
Collaboration with third parties
Choice of HW on-site support levels (NBD, 24X7, 6hr CTR)
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HP Technology services
Because customers are in the process of modernizing their infrastructure through convergence,
virtualization and cloud solutions, HP Technology Services need to be an integral part of all solutions.
No matter where your organization is on its technology journey, HP Lifecycle Event Services can help.
From strategy to design, deployment and operations, to education services, Lifecycle Event Services
offers expertise every step of the way.
Technology Lifecycle (sometimes referred to as Infrastructure Lifecycle):
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Warranty Cover
Warranty Cover Comparison
Services available across the Solution Lifecycle
Sales Scenario Introduction
HP Proactive Care Competitive Benefits
To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about Technology Services.
HP Foundation Care
The primary support segments available in Care Packs to offer to the SMB are HP Foundation Care and
HP Proactive Care.
HP Foundation Care includes Reactive Hardware & Software Support and provides:
HP Proactive Care provides an enhanced call experience with rapid access to technical expertise who
will manage the customers case from start to finish, couple with proactive services designed to help
prevent problems before they occur. HP Proactive Care integrates both proactive and reactive elements
so customers can get superior value out of their IT investments.
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Lets say you are working with a customer and have identified HP Proactive Care Pack with 24 x 7 cover
with 4 hour response as the most appropriate service to meet their needs. When selling this service to
your customer remember to explain that HP Proactive Care will pay for itself by reducing unplanned
down time. When your customers are worried about cost, it is important to recommend the right level
of service. HP Proactive Care with 24 x 7 cover is the right service for a customer whose business
demands high availability. It is the right service to minimize unplanned down time.
The competition
For IBM or Dell to match the menu of Proactive Select, customers would need a custom contract or they
would need to purchase multiple services. Both choices cost more than HP Proactive Care.
Servers
Although these topics are not essential for preparing for the exam, we believe that the following
sections in the course contain valuable information about selling servers, storage, networking, and
services and should still be reviewed.
To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about Servers.
Server Video 1
HP has created servers that are primarily focused on the SMB market. Lets look at a perfect example;
our recent Microserver:
What we were able to do is actually not only come up with a really great industrial design and a
server that basically is focused on SMB, but all of that wonderful intelligence, all of that
wonderful automation, all of that differentiation which should help our channel partners sell
more, that's not something we took out of the Microserver, its pre-built in.
If you're a channel partner who's selling to SMB, you have the capability of not only selling
them the server, but you have the capability of selling them a lot of services. You have the
capability of doing all of the post-service sales and support, and you get that with our SMB
offering which you can't get from anybody else.
HP ServeIT
It is important to understand the IT maturity of the SMB customer to see what type of needs they have,
so you can show the value of your HP solution. You need to also understand how the maturity stage
will affect the customers buying criteria, so you can match your HP server solution to their criteria.
A business in the Starting out stage has between 1 and10 employees and no IT expertise on staff. They
are looking to set up a basic infrastructure and are very cost-conscious.
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The HP ProLiant Microserver is an excellent option for entry level customers, and has essential
features for small business and departmental use. Its the latest development from HP and
features a great industrial design.
The HP ProLiant Microserver includes HPs key innovative technologies such as intelligence,
automation, and differentiation, all built in .
Businesses in the Building momentum stage are starting to grow and have a user base of between 11
to 49 users and may have a few IT generalists on staff. HP ProLiant Tower Servers are the right servers
for customers in the building momentum stage. HP ProLiant Tower Servers are expandable tower
servers that are ideal for remote and branch offices and growing businesses.
For businesses in the Expansion stage, the business has taken off and business applications and
databases are growing, requiring a higher performing computing environment and the need to support
between 50 to 100 users. The business will have a small department of IT generalists. HP ProLiant
Rack Servers are the right servers for customers in the expansion stage. HP ProLiant DL Rack Servers
are versatile, rack-optimized servers with a balance of efficiency, performance, and management.
Innovation
HP made three server innovations to meet customer needs:
ProLiant Gen 8 Server Automation & Insight: Reduces the need for a dedicated IT Staff. For
customers who dont have an IT staff and therefore desire simplicity
ProLiant Gen 8 Server Scalability: For customers who need high performance from our servers,
to support business apps & databases
ProLiant Gen 8 Server Intelligence: For customers that need a short ROI period to justify their
purchase
The Just Right IT Initiative and ServeIT program will help you in this regard.
Bundled IT infrastructure recommendations for the behavior associated with each growth
maturity stage can be identified by using the Just Right IT tool.
JRIT Bundles
HP has created servers that are primarily focused on the SMB market. Lets look at a perfect example;
how our recent Microserver fits within each of the maturity stages.
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Networking
Although these topics are not essential for preparing for the exam, we believe that the following
sections in the course contain valuable information about selling servers, storage, networking, and
services and should still be reviewed.
Network Video 1
Portfolio Overview
Simplified Unmanaged Small Business Network
HP FlexNetwork
Our Building Blocks
Unified Wired-Wireless Networks
To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about Networking.
Example customer profiles
HP Networking delivers solutions at every phase of your customers growth. Whether their business is
just starting out and they require basic connectivity, or the businesses is expanding, our solutions are
unified by one simple goal expansion.
Customers who are just starting out require:
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Unmanaged networks
With the integrated ProLiant Microserver Gen8 and PS1810 switch, HP provides a unified server and
switch solution that is simple, affordable, and reliable. HP PS1810 Switch Series are smart-managed,
fixed-configuration Gigabit Layer 2 switches that are purpose-built to work with HP Microserver.
Designed for small businesses looking for an integrated, easy-to-administer server-switch
combination.
HP 1410 series switches are unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet switches designed for
small businesses looking for entry-level, economical networking solutions that come with a lifetime
warranty. Key features include:
Smart-managed networks
The reference architecture for a smart-managed network is ideal for businesses that require highperformance wireless and wired LAN connections for servers, storage, printers, client PCs, and
notebooks. Wireless access points support mobile workers, while your guests gain secured Internet
access through a separate virtual LAN. You can manage your switches, access points, and routers
through an intuitive, easy-to-use web interface from any PC on the network.
The HP MSR 930 router is part of a typical smart-managed small business network:
HP MSR 93x routers deliver integrated routing, switching, security, voice, WLAN, integrated
4GLTE/3G, serial port, ADSL, 4-pair G.SHDSL, and optional dual 3G WAN in a single box.
With comprehensive IPv4 and IPv6 routing, MPLS, QoS, firewall, NAT, VPN, switching, voice, and
wireless capabilities in a compact, fixed, form factor. MSR 93x Series is based on open
standards for seamless integration within small-branch deployments.
HP has also created a network blueprint specifically for your midsize business needs. Use this sample
architecture to deploy a network that provides reliable connectivity to your primary and remote
locations.
IMC Smart Connect Virtual Appliance edition allows you to deploy BYOD as a single software
package. The virtual appliance comes in two packages:
IMC Smart Connect Virtual Appliance provides user access, guest access management, and
device fingerprinting and self-registration.
IMC Smart Connect Virtual Appliance with WLAN Manager also includes a single policy
enforcement and converged network management across wired and wireless
environments. Unified BYOD monitoring further enables administrators to plan for capacity
and comply with regulatory requirements.
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Storage
Although these topics are not essential for preparing for the exam, we believe that the following
sections in the course contain valuable information about selling servers, storage, networking, and
services and should still be reviewed.
To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about Storage.
HP Simply StoreIT solution
HP Simply StoreIT is a collection of solution-oriented products designed to take the stress out of
storage by helping you solve the challenges you are facing today, taking into account your current
growth stage and future trajectory.
HP Simply StoreIT Solutions for SQL Server include HP D-Series Disk Enclosures, HP MSA
Storage, and HP StoreVirtual Storage.
Working with HPs channel partners worldwide, HP customers can cut through the noise, find
the right solutions to fit their businesses immediate needs, and be assured that those solutions
will be easy to manage, affordable to own, and reliable to operate.
HP can help you to map customers storage challenges to core solution areas, so you can show
the value of the HP solution, whatever the customers IT and storage requirements, size, or
development stage.
Server
Virtualization
HP MSA
Storage
HP
StoreVirtual
Storage
Exchange
SQL Server
HP D-Series
Disk Enclosures
HP MSA
Storage
HP StoreVirtual
Storage
File Sharing
HP StoreEasy
Storage
Data
Protection
HP StoreEver
tape drives (for
long term
backup),
autoloaders &
MSL tape
libraries
HP StoreOnce
backup
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a. Correct: HP 1410 series switches are unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet switches
designed for small businesses looking for entry-level, economical networking solutions that come
with a lifetime warranty.
b. Incorrect: HP 1810 switch series are smart-managed, fixed-configuration Gigabit Layer 2 switches
designed for small businesses looking for an integrated, easy-to-administer server-switch
combination.
c. Incorrect: HP 1910 switches are advanced smart-managed fixed-configuration Gigabit Ethernet
(GbE) and Fast Ethernet (FE) switches designed for small businesses in an easy-to-administer
solution.
d. Incorrect: The HP 2920 Switch Series consists of five switches spread across 24/48 Port, with and
without PoE+ models. It is not the right switch designed for small businesses looking for entrylevel, economical networking solutions.
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Video 1
Video 2
The Buying Cycle Scenario 1
The Buying Cycle Scenario 2
Building the Business Case
To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about Aligning with the
customer.
Often the President or the CEO. Theyre motivated by the big picture. They want to know how
this purchase will give them a competitive advantage, make more money, or cut costs for the
company.
They look for proof of performance, such as examples of how other companies have benefited.
Often the economic buyers motivation and goals trickle down to others in the company to
support internal initiatives.
User buyer
The user buyer is the person who will actually use your product or service. It is important to
explain to them how your product or service will make their life easier. For example: You may
be meeting with the Line of Business Manager, or LOB, who might be leading a large marketing
initiative that requires your products or services.
LOBs are not generally interested in technical features, but rather immediate and long term
business value to their project.
Technical buyer
The technical buyer is responsible for making sure that the product fits the technical
specifications of the company.
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Since the technical buyer never has the sole authority to say yes, theyre often overlooked in
the sales process. However, if they are overlooked because they do not have the funding they
have the power to nix the project.
Here there are 2 types of roles.
The CIO, who looks at the big picture and worries about both internal and external Service
level agreements (SLAs). The CIO will drive decisions where he can demonstrate return on
technology investments.
The IT Manager (and staff) who need to understand the technology and are often asked to
explain it to the funder (LOB) internally.
The Coach
The coach acts like an ally and is someone who is on your side at the customers site.
This is a person who can guide you through the sale by letting you know what is happening
behind the scenes and advising you on what to do.
The role of the coach is not tied to a specific job title; anyone could be a coach
Consultative
Commodity
Strategic
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The Transactional engagement is appropriate for commodities. The customer knows what they want,
and are ready to shop around because they are looking for the best deal, and are not tied to any
particular vendor or supplier.
The breadth of capabilities within the HP Enterprise Group family requires Consultative Selling. The
Consultative sale is best when a strategic sale is required with a customer you know and understand.
They trust your advice, and are ready to be guided by you, particularly as they may not know what they
want or need. Their sales are usually larger and infrequent, and face-to-face meetings are essential!
Tell the customer they can save time because they dont have to evaluate technology from
numerous vendors. HP Just Right IT is designed and priced for their unique needs.
Tell the customer they can save money because they dont have to worry about deployment
and integration. HP focuses on products that offer plug-and-play simplicity and the services to
get them up and running fast.
This often means developing new strategies to create a better infrastructure and to deliver more
dynamic services.
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Incorrect: This choice is more aligned to a complexity business issue and not a security issue.
Incorrect: While this is a good choice it is not the right choice. This choice is more of a space issue.
Incorrect: This choice is more of an analysis issue and not a security issue
Correct: This is the best choice since there would be significant security issues for any company
that is looking for everyone in the company to use their own phone, device, or tablet wherever they
are to access their email and business applications.
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To prepare for the exam, pay particular attention to the following sections about Delivery customer
value.
Server
Storage
Networks
HP: 2x VM density
HP: Plug-and-play
BYOD solution
HP: Autonomic,
integrated
Management
OpenSource Linux
Technology Services
HP: Environment-wide
Entitlement (One contract
for anything in your
environment)
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Objection handling
Objections and challenges should be viewed as an opportunity. The manner in which you address them
is influential. The better prepared you are the more confident and accurate your interaction with
customers will be and the more likely they are to trust you and your solutions. Here are some
examples of customer concerns and good quality responses:
Concern
Response
HP equipment is too
expensive.
HPs product range offers entry points for every budget and options for sharing or
mitigating risk, such as the Virtual Systems and pay-as-you-grow. HPs leadership in
innovation means that high-end capabilities soon trickle-down.
The small business growth plan is designed to meet your needs at each stage of your
companys development so you can effectively protect and grow your business. The HP
JRIT program is designed to meet your needs at each stage of development with IT
solutions that are simple, affordable and reliable for your business.
My main need is
networking and Cisco is the
market leader in this area
Cisco has historically been the market leader, but HPs market share is now growing at
Ciscos expense. Especially for businesses that want a network that is more costeffective to run and easier to manage. Can I show you how HP Networking will benefit
your business?
Suppliers who want to supply the most cost-effective solutions often have a direct route
to the customer, but unless you are very large this means online access only. At HP we
believe that buying is only part of what customers need. HP has local representatives
and support, so that not only do you get help when you buy but you have a local advisor
throughout all the stages of your IT needs.
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Who is buying?
Using HP and competitive sales plays
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