London – EMC’s launch of the VMax 3 was supported by an announcement long magic trick performed by UK magician Ben Hanlin, the star of ITV 2 show TRICKED. I actually took part in one of the segments. Hanlin’s trick was essential taking data from audience members and revealing it to surprise of many in a suspended box at the top of the stage.
This trick was to show how routine data, private data, and random data can be easily captured and put into other people’s hands without much effort.
With the release of VMax 3, EMC’s next generation large scale storage line the company is trying to show the channel that it can offer a machine that can handle the capacity of new workload’s from new apps and current big data application.
The way it went about doing it does not require a magic trick from channel partners either. EMC is going to increase overall VMax capacity for big data through an acquisition of Natick, Mass-based cloud storage vendor Twin Strata Inc. Company executives told CDN that this deal, when integrated, will bring a reliable connection from physical on premise data centres to hybrid or public clouds in a way where enterprises and mid-market customers can access multiple avenues of data securely.
CDN interviewed Fidelma Russo, the senior vice president of EMC’s Enterprise Storage Division at the London Redefine Possible event about the VMax rollout for the channel.
Russo was appointed the GM for the Symmetrix business unit in late 2012, which includes the VMax portfolio. She is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to enable worldwide channel partners for VMax. Russo is also a board member of the National Center for Women in IT.
The following is an edited transcript.
CDN Now: How do you plan to roll the new VMax 3 line out to the solution provider channel?
Fidelma Russo: Today’s announcement was a little, fairly robust on VMax and a number of accelerated partners are already experts with the new line of products. This will give us the ability to engage the channel even more. The simplicity of the model with the new management tools, the set up and provisioning accelerates the velocity of the installs. It will bring up new value added services for the channel once ordering opens up. We streamlined other areas for the channel such as we are going to be sharing sizing tools and technical documents with the channel. We view the channel partner as an extension of the sale force.
Related Stories
CDN Now: What can channel partners do now with VMax that they could not do before?
F.R.: We have on the 10K lower end VMax, which is now on the 100K machine. The 10K got a lot of traction with the channel and its now at an even lower entry point. One to four engines you get one to two engines, which is just as powerful and it comes at an attractive package for the channel and their customers. We see it broadening out and there are great capabilities across the board here to help them get in through the high end of the mid-tier space.
CDN Now: How will the Twin Strata acquisition impact the channel?
F.R.: Twin Strata fits into the mix, but its dag one of the acquisition and it will be a while before we finish the integration. One of the pluses with thus company is that they have a channel network in place. They are very entrepreneurial with their approach to the channel and their go-to-market strategy supports many channel structures. We want to leverage that as much as possible. EMC is going to combine our customers with their own and we expect to see the same from them. It will allow us to position into accounts in the lower end, have the channel add in services and new oriented apps. We can set the vision for the customer and they will know how to tie it all together. It will help them develop a longer strategy with the customer than just a transactional one. They can sell added value services and software. There will also be an opportunity for a direct protect data protection path between VMax and Data Domain. Twin Strata has a large channel and several joint customers with EMC, but a number of that are not joint and so there is going to be large opportunity for (Twin Strata partners) on back-up and recovery services. They can position themselves as a true trust partner to the customer.
CDN Now: What kind of partner ready strategies will you be implementing for VMax 3?
F.R.: Some partners are already capable while some others are interested in the new platform. So we are trying to make it easier for all of them with a new sizing tool. You will not need a PHD to size it now. It’s a Web-based app where they can say I need this kind if solution and plug it in and then it tells you what you need to get. I think with this big push to train and educate the channel we are going to make it as fast as possible.