NetApp's new EMEA boss: Flash is 'boring' like bread and butter

Alexander Wallner tells CRN that increasing market share and bolstering flash business are priorities in his new role

Flash technology is now so mainstream that it is "boring" to customers, who view it as a bread-and-butter part of their IT, according to NetApp's new EMEA boss.

Alexander Wallner (pictured) took over as EMEA general manager at the start of August, replacing Manfred Reitner, who retired. Wallner, who has worked at NetApp in various EMEA roles since 1999, told CRN that his priorities in the new role are increasing market share across the region, growing the SolidFire business, and bolstering its flash strategy on the whole.

The flash storage market has grown rapidly in the past few years. According to IDC, the all-flash array (AFA) market generated almost $800m (£613m) in revenue during Q1, up 87 per cent annually.

At the end of last year, NetApp looked to bolster its position in the flash market and bought flash firm SolidFire.

But although the much-hyped market is doing well, Wallner said customers actually see the technology as "boring", owing to its maturity.

"To be very clear, flash is, for most of our customers, something very boring," he said. "The whole excitement the IT industry has around flash is not matched by customers. What customers usually say to me is that flash is the first hype which became a commodity within six months.

"It is the de facto standard. There is almost no system we are selling right now which is not all flash or at least hybrid. Customers simply use it like sliced bread and butter - they are not excited by that any more. They are not excited about the capability of rolling out flash. They simply say it is the de facto standard. Now, coming back to reality, [they say] 'how can you, Mr vendor, integrate flash as a native tier in my datacentre?"

"To be very clear, flash is, for most of our customers, something very boring."

Wallner said he will not focus on a particular country or region across EMEA, but that boosting market share across the whole geography is important.

Competitive spirit

Many vendors, such as HPE, have looked to cash in on Dell's planned takeover of EMC, claiming the union will slow the duo down.

Waller said while he does hope NetApp can take advantage of the situation, the company will remain focused on its own business.

"I would be lying if I said we don't hope to benefit from [the Dell-EMC deal]. I think there is an opportunity in two strong companies coming together and trying to get synergies out of that. It usually doesn't make a company faster than they were before," he said.

"But still I think it is good as long as we focus on our own strengths. It's not good to focus too much on the potential weakness of our competitors. We focus on what we can do and how we can enable our customers. I think we have good solutions in comparison with Dell and EMC - the better solutions compared with the two of them. I'd focus on the value in front of customers, not on the weakness of Dell and EMC. If we win a deal because of uncertainly, I will take that deal anyway."

Another topic causing uncertainty across the channel and further afield is Brexit.

Wallner said that while the weakening pound will affect the UK business, the company is not panicking.

"We have to be very careful in assumptions," he said. "If you ask 10 people, you will get 10 different opinions on what it will mean. We carefully watch it and to be honest, we are flexible enough to react very, very fast."