đź”™ Throwback Thursday for 2024-12-26
Reflecting on my journey from Nortel in the '90s to the hybrid cloud with SAP’s evolution.
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(Scroll to the end…)
I was born in 1972. So was SAP.
20-ish years later, my early career started at Nortel Networks. By 1998, CRM and computer telephony interface (CTI) had become a big thing while the word Internet occurred ~35 times in the Nortel Networks Annual Report that year.
By 1999, CRM was big enough that Nortel Networks went on to buy Clarify.
Nortel to buy software maker Clarify - CNET
The networking equipment giant agrees to buy Clarify, a maker of software that automates corporate sales and customer service needs, in a stock deal valued at $2.1 billion.
At that time, I decided to leave Nortel Networks and chase .com consulting dreams for a few years as a globe trotting consultant. Meanwhile, SAP and Nortel did a CRM deal.
SAP signs software deal with Nortel - CNET
In a widely anticipated move, the German software giant says it has inked a deal with Nortel Networks to resell customer relationship management software.
A fear years later, SAP and the Nortel Networks + Clarify deal fell apart. So too did my .com dreams.
SAP show to focus on e-business - CNET
At its user conference next week, the company plans to tout initiatives centered on high-profile software segments such as marketplaces, corporate portals and supply-chain automation.
By 2009, Nortel no longer existed and I had been steadily heading in the direction of hybrid cloud services. Oddly enough, SAP was headed that way too.
Techmeme: Analysis: SAP accounts for nearly 40% of DAX 40's 18.7% gains in 2024, with SAP up 70%+ as the software company transitions its business customers to the cloud (Financial Times)
From Financial Times. View the full context on Techmeme.
Note: Some images via Unsplash
Disclosure
I am linking to my disclosure.
Cuthrell Consulting LLCAttn: Jay Cuthrell1903 Live Oak St #92Beaufort, NC 28516-0092
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