EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) is aiming to help its channel better take on the midmarket with the launch of a new product exclusively for the channel, improvements to another channel-only line and three new programs for partners.
“If you look at our go-to-market in general, we have made it very clear from a public statement point of view that we are looking to embrace a channel that is complementary to EMC offerings,” said Michael Kerr, director of channels at EMC Canada.
The new Data Domain DD160 deduplication storage system will be sold exclusively through the vendor’s Velocity Solution Provider Partners and authorized resellers. The DD160 is aimed at midmarket customers of 300 to 500 seats with small data centres and a need for backup and recovery. EMC claims the system can reduce data size by 10 to 30 times. “We’ve specifically priced it at a $10,000 list (USD) so there’s opportunity for the partner to make margin,” Kerr said.
Related story: EMC creates new unified storage family
EMC also updated its VNXe unified storage system, another channel-only product line aimed at smaller businesses, to support 100GB flash drives on the VNXe3300, which allows for greater efficiency. EMC has also increased memory on the VNXe3100 to 8GB per controller. “It’s the next generation of where the storage technology is going,” Kerr said.
EMC is placing emphasis on the midmarket with its channel partners because that segment is growing at a faster rate than large enterprises, particularly in Canada, Kerr said. “If as a company you want to grow, you can’t remain stagnant in the markets you traditionally serve.”
Going through the channel for this market is also crucial because there are just so many customers. If a small law office near Sudbury needs a storage system, they would turn to a local integrator, Kerr said.
Although Dell ended its decade-long OEM reseller relationship with EMC on Monday, and will push its own storage solutions from now on, EMC pointed out in its earnings call that same day that it grew its revenue with mid-tied products through non-Dell channels by 40 per cent in its third quarter.
Related story: Dell ends 10-year reseller relationship with EMC
In addition to its product announcements, EMC has also introduced three new programs for its Velocity partners.
The new VNXe “Try & Buy” program allows partners to provide VNXe products to customers at no risk for 45 days. “I think everybody likes to take things for a test drive,” Kerr said. EMC does not necessarily have strong brand recognition among midmarket customers, he pointed out. This program allows EMC to prove on what it’s promising to deliver to smaller customers, he said.
EMC has also created a “Quick Ship” program for partners, which includes six preconfigured VNXe solutions that can be shipped globally within two days after order placement. Shipping time wasn’t necessarily slow before this program, but since EMC would be flexible and create tailored solutions, the process would be longer, Kerr said. “With six preconfigured systems, we’re going to cover 80 per cent of the market,” he said. “We do not want to be a bottleneck of the implementation of the business answer.”
EMC has lastly introduced a “U Sell U Earn Training Incentive Program,” which gives partners who sell training to end customers credits toward paying for VNX readiness training for themselves. “The more you know about a solution, the more you can leverage it,” Kerr said. “The best way to do that is to teach the customer directly.”