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LSI Storage Swims Against Tide: Page 3 of 5

"Once hidden beneath the blanket of a very large semiconductor provider, LSI Logic Storage Systems is emerging as a significant player in its own right," IDC's McArthur wrote in a recent research report on the company.

Indeed, LSI Logic Storage Systems caused heads to swivel in the industry last year when it released results on the Storage Performance Council SPC-1 benchmark test -- showing better price/performance than higher-end systems from IBM and Sun, which tested an OEM version of a Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) array (see LSI Screams Past IBM, Sun).

Now, say analysts, in order to further build its business, LSI Logic Storage Systems needs to boost its branding and visibility among end users. "LSI has design wins from every storage company in the industry, but no one knows who they are," says Steve Duplessie, senior analyst at Enterprise Storage Group Inc.

IDC, in fact, has recommended LSI adopt an Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) Inside-style marketing program to put it on the storage map. And the company plans to do just that: It has an ad campaign set to launch later this year with the tagline "At the Heart of Information." [Ed. note: Better than their first idea, "Got Disk?"]

"We're behaving in the same way an Intel behaves," says Seigle, who adds that LSI's marketing is as much geared toward its partners to show "that we're their partner and not their competitor."