STORAGE: Smart Storage for SMBs

Simplicity pays. That seems to be mantra guiding EMC's new strategy aimed
at the small and medium enterprises market. The vendor, who unveiled its Making
Storage Simple' strategy recently is bringing a range of solutions that it
says would simplify storage for small and medium businesses (SMBs), a segment
that is expected to grow faster than the large enterprises. Even though the
mid-sized enterprises and SMBs are now facing the same information pressures as
large enterprises, though without the luxury of large IT staff and budgets, this
segment finds most storage solutions complex. 

According to Steve Coad, general manager, EMC South Asia, his company's
strategy for small and medium businesses has three key elements: offering rich
functionalities at an attractive price; easy to install, use and, manage
plug-n-play solutions; and packaged hardware and software, and services tailored
for SMBs.

It is in this context that EMC is offering EMC Express Solutions, which
boasts of rich functionalities at attractive prices that are easy to install,
use, and manage. Besides, it would also bring in a range of services tailored to
fit the needs of the SMBs. "Making Storage Simple was created especially
for customers in the mid-sized enterprise and SMB segments. The message from
these customers was clear that they want advanced functionality, at an
affordable price, packaged for simple deployment," said Tony Leung, MD,
marketing, EMC Asia-Pacific and Japan.

The
EMC Express Solutions encompass EMC's families of storage hardware, services,
and software from EMC and from its acquisitions over the last three years. The
new solutions, which would be offered by EMC's resellers and distributors,
include EMC Express Solutions for networked storage, backup and recovery,
archiving, and business protection. "The solutions combine good products, a
trusted brand, turnkey packaging with services, and easy procurement," said
Mike Fisch, senior analyst with The Clipper Group, technology acquisition
consultants based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. "Mid-sized enterprises tend
to be under-served, and we expect these solutions will be well received because
they address the information storage problems faced by businesses of all
sizes," he added

To help partners customize, configure and deliver these solutions, EMC has
developed a Web-based tool that expedites the process of configuring and
ordering them. Based on the customer's application environment, partners
simply answer a short series of questions in the Express Solutions Wizard to
automatically create and order a solution that is validated to meet customer
requirements.

EMC is also introducing its new Financing Made Simple options and online
financial tools for Velocity Partners and authorized resellers. Using EMC's
financial best practices, partners will be able to help customers quickly and
easily secure funding for their total solution, including non-EMC equipment. The
new program also includes a variety of special lease options and payment plans
to fit the budgets of mid-sized and SMB customers.

“Offering rich functionalities at an attractive price, easy to install and services tailored for small and medium businesses are key to our strategy.”

Steve Coad, GM, EMC South Asia

“ The message from SMB customers is clear that they want advanced functionality, at an affordable price, packaged for simple deployment.”

Tony Leung, MD, marketing, EMC Asia-Pacific and Japan

EMC has started rolling out an enhanced Velocity Channel Partner program that
provides a consistent set of training programs and incentives for all partners
who offer EMC hardware, software and services. In addition to teaming up with
its Velocity Partners, EMC has also collaborated with technology partners,
including Cisco, Intel and Microsoft to ensure EMC Express Solutions take
advantage of all of the features and functionality of these companies' leading
technology and best practices. "The EMC Express Solutions take advantage of
Cisco's expertise in embedded network intelligence such as multi-protocol
support, Virtual SANs and comprehensive security. Together we're offering
customers a scalable, best-of-breed solution that allows them to
cost-effectively manage and scale their IT environments as business needs
change," said Christian Hentschel, Integrated Advanced Technologies,
Asia-Pacific, Cisco Systems.

EMC is also focusing on services. In fact, its 'Plan, Build and Manage'
service offerings are going to play a key role in future growth. Currently most
of EMC's service business in Asia is concentrated on building storage for
enterprises, as the market is less mature. However, it would like to have more
'plan and manage customers', meaning that EMC would like to plan storage
strategies of enterprises and then manage them as well.

Ravi Shekhar Pandey in
Singapore

EMC South Asia: Strategy for 2005

Information Lifecycle Management

• Tiered Storage: SAN, NAS, CAS
• Software: Backup and recovery, content management, e-mail archiving
• Services: moving upmarket with Managed Residency Services
• Proven Solutions: Microsoft, Oracle, SAP

Commercial/SMB-Making Storage Simple

• Aggressive push to further penetrate mid & low-end
  markets

• More SMB-focused products to be announced throughout the
  year Partners/Channels

• Increase market coverage via value-added systems
  integrators, distributors and resellers (Velocity program) Customer
  Experience

• Continue to deliver quality customer service to maintain
  high customer satisfaction and loyalty