Tandberg Data gets ready for disk battle

As the debate rages over the future of the tape storage industry, sector

­stalwart Tandberg Data has been

­re-inventing itself as a purveyor of a wider range of storage solutions.

The tape vendor cemented its change in industry focus earlier this month with

the release of two disk-based storage solutions aimed at the SME market – the

DPS2000 NAS series and the firm’s new back-up and deduplication ­

offering, AccuGuard.

The launch of both products is the culmination of a two-year consultation

between the firm and its ­channel partners, explained Marije Stijnen, vice

president of marketing at Tandberg.

“Over the past 10 years there has been a decline in the tape market, and for

our business to grow it made sense to branch out into other areas,” said

Stijnen.

“These latest releases are a very significant part of our focus on becoming

an end-to-end data ­solutions provider.”

Stop the tape

In a recent IDC survey of 501 US-based IT managers, 59 per cent said

they have reduced the amount of tape backup they use.

Additionally, 32.4 per cent of those questioned said they had been able to

eliminate the technology completely from their storage infrastructure.

Phil Jones, chief technical officer at rival vendor

Shoden

Data Systems, said that in light of the downturn in popularity of tape-based

solutions, Tandberg was wise to pursue other sources of revenue.

“It really is the end of the tape now,” said Jones. “In the past, people have

clung on to the format because it was more cost-effective, but the net cost

associated with storing data on disk has gone down and the argument is not

nearly as compelling any more.”

Richard Shea, vice president of sales at storage vendor

Green

Bytes, said Tandberg would find itself pitted against some “major players”

in the disk storage market, which could put paid to its growth plans.

He said: “They are a bit late to the market, so they’ll need to work hard and

bring out unique solutions with distinct value-add opportunities.

“The deduplication technology [AccuGuard], for example, will need to be

superior to what its rivals are already offering.”

Gareth Bray, solutions business manager at Tandberg distributor

Micro

Peripherals, is confident that the firm’s storage solutions will stand up

against what its more

established rivals in the disk space have to offer.

“The AccuGuard deduplication functionality usually only exists at the high

end and the company is bringing that value at a very competitive ticket value,”

he said.

The fact the DPS2000 features NAS and optional iSCSI capability at an

SME-friendly price tag should also work in Tandberg’s favour, claimed Bray.

Stijnen stated that SMEs’ pricing constraints had been a key consideration

for his firm in developing its disk offerings.

“We know that most SMEs spend around $6,000 (£3,960) on data protection and

for us the challenge was ­producing an all-in-one solution

that would sit within that price range,” she explained.

Partner benefits

To help drive sales of the firm’s new product lines, Tandberg is also planning

to recruit more VARs and overhaul its global partner programme.

“It is not going to be an aggressive recruitment campaign,” said Stijnen.

“Our sales team in the UK are committed to recruiting VARs as part of the

ongoing nature of their job and will, ideally, be looking for partners with

experience of working with SME clients in a NAS and deduplication capacity.

"We have a lot to offer the right partners, though, including door-opening

products that provide resellers with real opportunities to differentiate

themselves in the market.”

Potential partners would be dealing with an “exceptionally channel-friendly”

and 100 per cent partner-focused company, added Bray.

“Unlike other players in the tape space, they do not take deals direct once

they go over a certain value, which is a big consideration for a lot of

resellers who have had negative experiences elsewhere,” he said.

Ray Quattromini, managing director at Tandberg VAR

Fortuna

Data Systems, said resellers that sign up with the vendor would receive deal

registration opportunities and access to marketing materials.

“The products have always been innovative and affordable, which is why most

of our low-end storage offerings are based on Tandberg solutions,” he said. “The

support and after-sales service the company offers is also second to none.”

However, Shea said it is the firm’s existing partners who could lose out as a

result of Tandberg’s decision to diversify its product lines.

“There are a diminishing number of players in the tape space and lots of

vendors selling disk-based products,” he said. “As a result, resellers could

find their margins compressed because there are so many firms offering similar

kinds of products.”

Taken from here