The Storage Network Industry Association (SNIA) Europe has created an eighth membership category for small and start-up storage VARs.

It is aimed at businesses that generate less than 1.5m euros in turnover per year. The SNIA’s eight member categories are now evenly divided under two umbrella divisions: full membership voting and associate member non-voting.

Ross McCarrol, chairman of the SNIA Europe UK committee, told CRN: “Many smaller storage VARs don’t get enough access to SNIA industry information. This is a way to help them understand activity in the market and to connect with end-users, resellers, distributors and vendors.”

Members of the eighth category will have access to all of the tools currently available under SNIA’s associate member non-voting umbrella division, such as marketing support, a business listing on the SNIA’s web site and reduced sponsorship rates to the Storage Networking World Europe event.

Chris Gant, business development director at storage VAR Powercore International, told CRN: “I hadn’t heard of the SNIA until recently. We have grown Powercore without trade association support. However, such trade associations can be useful from a networking perspective.”

Earlier this year the SNIA also began an assessment of its storage networking courses from industry training providers in an attempt to offer resellers a greater choice of certified courses (CRN, 4 May).

james_sherwood@vnu.co.uk