Hitachi Data Systems has expanded its software offerings with the launch of IT Operations Director.

The new software package offers a single pane of glass approach to IT lifecycle management software, combining local network asset management, software distribution and security management in a single package.

And Hitachi believes that, combined with its IT Operations Analyzer package, it’s got a package that will help channel partners manage their clients’ environment.

Here’s why.

Between the two products, Hitachi partners can offer both away to offer diagnostics of a customer’s local network with Analyzer, and to manage the assets on that network with Director. It’s an ongoing services opportunity that’s only available to customers via the company’s partners, said Brett Hesterberg, technical product manager for Hitachi’s global IT software business unit.

“HDS has chosen not to deliver professional services around Operations Director and to let partners define their own services around the product as part of their go-to-market strategy,” he said.

Those services include network assessments in the data centre of the corporate network. Hesterberg said solution providers can use the 30-day free trial of both products to “see every device in the environment and then make recommendation for good next steps,” including both hardware and software assets and reporting on what’s on the network, what level of patching and updating its at, and how software licenses on hand compare to the number of software products deployed.

“Analyzer also shows you the performance bottlenecks on the network and finds problem points,” Hesterberg said. “You not only see the landscape in the customer’s data centre, but you understand where there are problems.”

The two products are fairly integrated. For example, assets discovered on the data centre by Analyzer are automatically added to the devices to manage and monitor with Director. They also share a common look and feel, making the move to Director easier for those who are already familiar with Analyzer.

IT Operations Director offers management and security for up to 3,000 devices on the network, and Hesterberg said it’s differentiated by its all-in-one nature. “There are no add-modules, it’s a fully-integrated software solution,” he said. “It’s a single license and a single installation.”

The package is licensed starting at 100 devices on the network, which is also about the size of a network at which it starts to make sense.

The company has built a separate channel for its software products versus the partner base selling its core storage and storage management products, Hesterberg said.

That channel has been defined by Analyzer, but with Director, Hesterberg said he sees an opportunity to expand its channels, particularly with partners who are willing to invest in the vendor’s products. “Resellers who lead with the software will find success with it,” he said.