Whitman told CRN she expects the split to produce two faster, more agile and more innovative companies in their respective markets. In fact, she said the split will drive deeper channel investments and higher R&D investments. "We ought to be able to free up more money for R&D, more money for go-to-market to help partners sell solutions," she said.

Ultimately, partners will see more innovative products from both companies as a result of the split, said Whitman. "In the beginning, the middle and the end, this comes back to product," she said. "What is the product, what is the solution that you can offer to your customers."

Referring to HP's founding in a rented garage in Palo Alto, Calif., 75 years ago by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, Whitman said: "HP was born in a one-car garage. I think we just moved to a two-car garage. Same garage, but a bit more focused and [with more] speed."

UCLA Professor of Economics Lee Ohanian, who gave a keynote address on future economic growth and innovation at the BoB Conference, praised Whitman's decision to split up the company. "When you see companies fail, often it is because they don't split things up," said Ohanian. "The big ocean liners are hard to turn. Smaller ships are more nimble."

Ohanian said Whitman deserves credit for taking over an organization that was in duress and making progress in a turnaround. "She took over an organization under distress," he said. "There was a record of some bad decisions," he said. "I think she is doing a great job."

Bruce Geier, president and CEO of Technology Integration Group, San Diego, No. 70 on the CRN Solution Provider 500 list with $400 million in sales, said he sees the split leading to two more nimble companies in their respective markets that will accelerate innovation. "It's a great move for HP," he said. "Meg's leadership is very good and positive for the company. She is very channel-centric."

Geier said Whitman has fixed the "damage" that was done to HP under former HP CEO and current Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd. "Our HP business is growing again," he said. "It's more a channel-friendly and partner-aligned company under Whitman. They are trying to drive business and get the channel involved. That is not the way it was before."

Geier said he sees the opportunity for Hewlett-Packard Enterprise to grow dramatically through acquisitions. He sees such acquisitions lowering his total cost of sales as he brings a more complete solution to the market from HP.

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