StorageTek to hand support role to channel

StorageTek will end its policy of carrying out product installation and support itselfand has signed up storage specialist distributor Storm.

StorageTek will end its policy of carrying out product installation and support itselfand has signed up storage specialist distributor Storm.

Peter Yarwood, indirect sales manager at StorageTek, said the decision to allow resellers to provide services around product sales was taken because storage is no longer a high-end technology just for mainframes. He added that StorageTek has accredited 30 partners and expects the first installation performed by the channel to take place next month.

Mike King, managing director of storage specialist Kingswell, said: "StorageTek's insistence on performing installation and support itself has caused us problems. We view opening up these service opportunities to the channel as a very positive move."

Richard Russ, sales director of storage specialist Source Enterprise Consulting, claimed Storm was a distributor that would provide a valuable additional product source.

Bryn Sage, sales director of Storm, said: "We now have the most complete storage offering in the UK."

He said resellers would benefit because Storm also distributes Sun Microsystems. Sage added that Storm had set up a division to sell StorageTek, and had trained staff who resellers can subcontract to help with installations.

Russ said any chance to retain more margin would be welcomed by resellers and added that because growth in storage is strongest in the volume mid-range market, StorageTek will not be able to satisfy demand without enlisting the resources of the channel.

Yarwood said ecommerce growth will boost sales of storage products, as more companies rely on large databases of customer information.