Quantum banks on channels to promote Snap Server

Quantum Corporation, the $1.4 billion global leader in data storage and management service, is eyeing India as a critical market for its Snap Appliances division. In India, the company is looking at increasing its channel presence significantly in the market to make it happen. "Quantum will be appointing 10 value-added partners (resellers) in each city, including Chennai, shortly," said Louis Lye, Business Development Manager - Asia Pacific, Quantum Storage Singapore Pte Ltd.

The company is in the process of short-listing reseller names in accordance with its national supply partners - Ingram Micro and Apex Computers. "Soon, we will come out with the list," said Lye. He however declined to share probable names from the list.

Quantum is also conducting a series of roadshows in leading metros such as Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai to promote its workgroup Network Attached Storage (NAS) solution - Snap Server series. "We have also designed some loyalty programs for the resellers to propel the growth in the market," he explained.

Snap Server is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) series coming in number of capacities such as Snap Server 1000, 2000, 2200, 4100 and 12000, to meet customers' varying storage requirements. The basic advantage of Snap Server is its embedded operating system (OS) optimized for single purpose - data storage, thus offering higher reliability, faster performance, ease-of-use and less maintenance.

"We have moved from a device company to being a storage solution provider thereby making more meaningful relationship with customers in the process," said Lye. "`Storage' is becoming more important word in IT and NAS is going to be ubiquitous here."

The company has set a small target of 2,100 units for the next one year.

Snap Server comes packed with three new software for enhanced function of the product. While Snap Server S2S is a server-to-server (one-to-many and many-to-one) synchronization software, Disk Xtender is a data migration tool which separates active data from inactive one. Similarly, Email Xtender is also a data migration tool which migrates emails only.

"The company will set-up demo units at distributors' various regional offices to support resellers to demonstrate for their corporate clients," he said.

"We are investing a significant portion in training and in enhancing the existing channel structure," added Lye.

Quantum APAC contributes 10 percent of worldwide revenue for Quantum in Snap Server business, out of which India shares a very minimal figure. "We are confident that India would contribute 40 percent of APAC's share to the global operation in the next two years," said Lye.