Channel holds key to SME storage market
Vendors warned to increase indirect sales at Veritas conference
Storage vendors must increase their sales through the channel to stand any chance of cashing in on the lucrative SME storage space.
This is according to Peter Gerr, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, speaking at a Veritas conference in New York last week. He claimed the importance of the channel is increasing as SMEs' data requirements expand and become more complex.
"Resellers are critical because they are trusted advisers to SMEs. The increased importance of the channel in meeting the data needs of SMEs means vendors must work through it," Gerr said.
Veritas used the conference to announce new software and strategies, but details of its recent merger with Symantec were thin on the ground. The firm launched version 10 of its Backup Exec data storage software, which includes a centralised administration server and fast disk-based recovery.
Gary Bloom, chief executive of Veritas, also unveiled Backup Exec 10 Suite, with Replication Exec 3.1 and Storage Exec 5.3.
"Backup Exec 10 has been designed, built and delivered for the SME, and we have one of the broadest distribution channels to deliver it. Our partners can offer more functionality to SMEs at a lower cost," he claimed.
Veritas has no plans to launch a new UK partner programme for the software, but Dr Chris Boorman, vice-president of marketing EMEA at the vendor, said version 10 offers opportunities for VARs.
"Resellers can broaden the basic backup message to include data management, and also integrate storage resource management capabilities. This allows resellers to become a trusted partner to customers," he said.
But Abdul Terry, marketing manager at Equanet, claimed version 10 does not stand out from rival storage offerings.
"There's nothing that sets version 10 apart; it just fits well into the SME space. However, it gives the channel another opportunity to engage with SMEs on many levels, leading to cross- and up-sell opportunities," he said.
Terry added that Veritas's channel strategy will help to push out the product to SMEs.
"We have a better understanding of SMEs than large corporates often do. This channel strategy will do Veritas justice," he said.