Encompass
| Company type | User group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information technology |
| Predecessor | DECUS |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Fate | Merged into Connect User Group Community in May 2008 |
Area served | United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia |
Key people | Nina Buik, Kristi Browder, Glen Kuykendall, Anthony Ioele, Steve Davidek, Dena Wright, John Maynen, Clyde Poole, Bill Johnson |
| Products | Technical conferences, Local User Groups (LUGs), Special Interest Groups (SIGs), webcasts, regional seminars |
Encompass, known as the Enterprise Computing Association, was originally established as the primary computer user group for Hewlett-Packard's business clientele. Its origins can be traced back to DECUS, created in 1961 for customers of Digital Equipment Corporation, which Compaq acquired in 1998. The U.S. division was incorporated under the name Encompass U.S.
Following Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq in 2002, Encompass persisted as a user group dedicated to HP's business customers, supporting their use of HP hardware, software, and services.
The core objective of Encompass was to promote the sharing of technical knowledge among its members and facilitate communication with Hewlett-Packard.
In May 2008, Encompass combined forces with Interex EMEA and ITUG to create the Connect User Group Community, which became Hewlett-Packard's largest user community, encompassing over 50,000 members. The Encompass Board during this integration included Nina Buik, Kristi Browder, Glen Kuykendall, Anthony Ioele, Steve Davidek, Dena Wright, John Maynen, Clyde Poole, and Bill Johnson. Key contributions to the merger were made by former directors Chris Koppe and Jim Becker.
Mission
Encompass collaborated with Compaq and Hewlett-Packard to host major national technical conferences within the United States, such as:
- CETS 2001 (Compaq Enterprise Technical Symposium): September 10–14, 2001, in Anaheim, California
- HP-ETS 2002 (HP Enterprise Technical Symposium): October 7–11, held in St. Louis, Missouri
- HP World 2003: August 11–15, Atlanta, Georgia, co-organized with Interex and HP
- HP World 2004: August 16–20 in Chicago, Illinois, conducted in partnership with Interex and HP
- HP Technology Forum 2005: October 17–20 at Orlando, Florida, alongside OpenView Forum International and HP
- HP Technology Forum 2006: September 17–21 in Houston, Texas, collaborating with HP, ITUG, and OpenView Forum International
- HP Technology Forum & Expo 2007: June 17–21 in Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside HP and ITUG
Encompass provided support to a variety of Local User Groups (LUGs) throughout the United States as well as Special Interest Groups (SIGs) focusing on diverse business technology subjects.
Additionally, it coordinated webcasts, regional seminars, and managed both pre-conference seminars and trade show activities at the HP Technology Forum & Expo.
Internationally, Encompass included organizations such as:
- Encompass Canada
- Encompass New Zealand
- Encompass Australia