HDS channel partners to benefit from centre

Storage Operations Centre set up by HDS will provide managed storage services

Storage vendor Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) has opened a Storage Operations Centre at its UK headquarters to target enterprise and mid-range markets.
Based in Sefton Park, the centre will provide HDS’s channel partners and customers with 24/7 managed storage services to reduce the cost and time constraint of employing additional in-house staff.
Bryan Hair, UK managed services director at HDS, said: “We aim to offer more flexible services to our customers. Instead of a company having to bring in a service or employing someone new, HDS provides a resource that can be booked in advance and used when required.
“Resellers can provide their own storage services to customers, now with the added value of knowing how to manage it,” added Hair.
The centre’s first offering is the Remote Ad Hoc Storage Administration Service, which allows resell-ers and their end users to contact experienced HDS storage administrators. The experts remotely take control of the organisation’s proces-ses to assist and offer support.
“Over the next few months HDS’s internal channel group will launch a partner programme to get resellers involved,” said Hair.
Klaus Egge, storage systems director for Europe at analyst IDC, said: “Resellers are looking for this type of service. It is a good opportunity for VARs to persuade SMEs to buy in technical expertise instead of employing an extra member of staff.
“Storage solution resellers may find the bigger the size of the storage deal, the greater the opportunity for vendors to monopolise their customers. If this happens, the reseller might find themselves excluded.”
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