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SAP HOLDING SME SUMMIT

William McDermott, SAPThe fact the SAP is holding an SME Summit on November 29 in New York is not important by itself. The fact that co-CEO William McDermott is scheduled to be there is. Call it, the power of showing up. There is nothing a top executive can do to demonstrate what is important to management then taking the time to show up at an event.

It is doubtful that five years ago, an SAP CEO would have taken the time to appear at a conference devoted to small and midsize businesses. Of course, I'm not always sure that what SAP means by SME is the same thing that means to midmarket resellers. Nevertheless, the details of the agenda also signal the direction that SAP is taking technology in this market. There are sessions for mobile and cloud, of course, but there is also one for HANA for SME's that carries forward SAP's promise that the in-memory database technology is not just for the biggest companies it serves. Another marker is that closing remarks are being delivered by Kevin Gilroy, SVP of  Global Indirect Channels, which underscores SAP's move to indirect distribution, although since Gilroy's elevation to a worldwide position, the attention that has gotten in the United States has been spotty. And the day ends with beer tasting providing by SAP customer Hilliards Brewing, which I suppose signals the importance beer plays in German civilization.

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