Storage

Storage

VAST Data pledges lower customer costs, more cloud-like experience with shift to Gemini managed software model

April 9, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on VAST Data pledges lower customer costs, more cloud-like experience with shift to Gemini managed software model
VAST still sells its technology through an appliance model, but now the customer purchases it directly from Avnet, which makes the hardware, giving the customer direct from the manufacturer pricing, although VAST says their channel strategy will not be impacted by this. .

[…]

Cloud

New HPE Canada President Mike Hilton sees Canada ripe for GreenLake as-a-service offerings

April 8, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on New HPE Canada President Mike Hilton sees Canada ripe for GreenLake as-a-service offerings
Almost everything in HPE’s portfolio is already available as a service, and while Canadian customers have been somewhat slow to warm to the new model, Hilton says that’s changing in a big way.

[…]

Channel Programs

Zadara enters into strategic partnership with Ingram Micro and restructures partner program in move to 100% channel model

April 5, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on Zadara enters into strategic partnership with Ingram Micro and restructures partner program in move to 100% channel model
Zadara also has doubled the number of internal people involved in partner support.

[…]

Promotions

Dell Technologies expands PowerStore incents and expands them to Isilon

March 25, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on Dell Technologies expands PowerStore incents and expands them to Isilon
Dell’s expansion of a storage incent they launched in Q4, and extension of its eligibility to their Unstructured Data Solutions line, are designed to accelerate the momentum in storage they saw in Q4, as many companies resumed projects which had been paused earlier in the year.

[…]

Backup

Commvault, Qumulo partner on new integration to simplify management of extreme file data tasks

March 9, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on Commvault, Qumulo partner on new integration to simplify management of extreme file data tasks
The first formal integration between Qumulo and Commvault came at the request of customers who had been making do-it-yourself integrations, which will work much better now that the joint solution has been properly integrated and optimized.

[…]

Channel Programs

iXsystems unveils novel partner program that provides ready-to-close fulfilment leads in return for the partner closing deals

March 4, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on iXsystems unveils novel partner program that provides ready-to-close fulfilment leads in return for the partner closing deals
iXsystems’ open source storage model both facilitates the economics of the new program, and brings in leads that their internal people nurture until they are ready to close, then pass them on to partners who have brought in a deal of equivalent value.

[…]

Cloud

Mike Sharun to retire from Dell Canada in the spring, with Pam Pelletier named as successor

February 26, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on Mike Sharun to retire from Dell Canada in the spring, with Pam Pelletier named as successor
Big changes afoot at Dell Technologies in Canada, with Mike Sharun, who had spent the last 23 years at Dell and EMC, announcing he will retire in the spring, with Pam Pelletier named as his replacement.

[…]

Storage

StorCentric targets 10-30 TB database market with entry level Violin QV1020

February 17, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on StorCentric targets 10-30 TB database market with entry level Violin QV1020
The new product is StorCentric’s first Violin release since they acquired the company late last year, and is an entry level version of the QV2020. For now, the branding remains Violin, but that’s something that will be examined going forward.

[…]

Pure Storage
Storage

Pure Storage looks to expand into new markets with new FlashArray and FlashBlade updates

February 16, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on Pure Storage looks to expand into new markets with new FlashArray and FlashBlade updates
Pure has also expanded the FlashArray portfolio with the //C40 R3, a new entry level offering aimed at that part of the market that typically buys hybrid arrays.

[…]

Storage

DataCore adds object storage to its software-defined portfolio with Caringo acquisition

January 26, 2021 Mark Cox Comments Off on DataCore adds object storage to its software-defined portfolio with Caringo acquisition

DataCore thinks lack of commitment to a 100% channel vision was a major flaw in Caringo’s strategy, and that DataCore’s cadre of committed channel partners will benefit by being able to offer a software-defined object store option to fit specific use cases.

[…]

Cloud

Weka’s Channel Predictions for 2021

January 6, 2021 WekaIO Guest Blog Comments Off on Weka’s Channel Predictions for 2021
By Charla Bunton-Johnson, Global Director of Partner Sales, Development, Marketing, and Channel Chief, WekaIO, Inc. LinkedIn   Many years ago, I started my career in the Channel working for Ingram Micro (at the time called […]
Cloud

iXsystems enables open hybrid cloud management for partners with TrueCommand Cloud management platform

December 15, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on iXsystems enables open hybrid cloud management for partners with TrueCommand Cloud management platform
TrueCommand, which is a key element in iXystems’ hybrid cloud strategy, will be supported by the iXsystems Partner Program.

[…]

Storage

Hitachi Vantara strengthens midmarket play with downmarket expansion of  VSP E-Series, introduction of Hitachi Virtual Storage-as-a-Service

December 9, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Hitachi Vantara strengthens midmarket play with downmarket expansion of  VSP E-Series, introduction of Hitachi Virtual Storage-as-a-Service
Also announced, at Hitachi’s AdVantage 2020 event, was the HNAS, a more powerful upgrade of their NAS gateway solution, and new channel tools and incents to help sell the new offerings.

[…]

Software

Lenovo DCG unveils new data management solutions

December 3, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Lenovo DCG unveils new data management solutions
The announcements strengthen Lenovo’s storage and data management portfolio, and improve their ability to deliver an end-to-end analytics-driven solution.

[…]

Storage

Pure Storage updates Pure-as-a-Service with added price transparency, lower entry points

November 25, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Pure Storage updates Pure-as-a-Service with added price transparency, lower entry points
Pure Storage has announced a significant expansion of their Pure as-a-Service consumption-based offerings. They have unveiled a new Service Catalog which provides public cloud levels of price transparency. They have introduced new Block service tiers, […]
Managed Services

Zadara looks to new 100% channel strategy to drive growth in hot storage-as-a-service market

November 20, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Zadara looks to new 100% channel strategy to drive growth in hot storage-as-a-service market
New Senior Director of Channels Joe Sacchetti talks to ChannelBuzz about the storage-as-a-service provider’s pivot to a complete channel-focus, and the impact this will have on strategy going forward.

[…]

Backup

Commvault Metallic launches new Hybrid Cloud Data Protection portfolio including Metallic BaaS for Kubernetes

November 17, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on Commvault Metallic launches new Hybrid Cloud Data Protection portfolio including Metallic BaaS for Kubernetes
Metallic Database Backup and Metallic File & Object Backup are the other new offerings, all built on the Metallic Core Backup & Recovery solution.

[…]

Channel Programs

New Komprise CRO reworks Go-to-Market to strengthen channel

November 13, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on New Komprise CRO reworks Go-to-Market to strengthen channel
The big changes involve making the whole Go-to-Market strategy more systematic, and include the addition of an internal sales team to work with partners, but some enhancements have been made to the partner program as well to make it more effective.

[…]

Cloud

MSP360 further extends broad platform capability with unified cloud storage billing – and with an RMM coming shortly

November 13, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on MSP360 further extends broad platform capability with unified cloud storage billing – and with an RMM coming shortly
MSP360 has also reworked its pricing structure, separating MSPs from end users and giving MSPs greatly preferred pricing to remove what the company decided was channel conflict which worked against MSPs.

[…]

Cloud

OVHcloud unveils aggressive new storage strategy based on acquisitions and new NetApp partnership

November 4, 2020 Mark Cox Comments Off on OVHcloud unveils aggressive new storage strategy based on acquisitions and new NetApp partnership
In addition to broadening out and strengthening their object, block and file storage portfolios, OVHcloud also announced a new AI initiative to facilitate easier deployments of AI pilots into production.

[…]