Searching for a New Storage Dynasty: Page 2 of 3

When I look at all the announcements this year, and with all the technologies scheduled for delivery, and the actual delivery of ultra-high-performance storage, I see one vendor who is a standout: DataDirect Networks out of Chatsworth, Calif.

So, seeing this standout, I decide to apply The Trainer Test; in this case a single question. Is DataDirect a new storage vendor dynasty in the making?

Here is what I found out in the process of answering my single question:

• More than 14 years as a private company supplying high-performance storage to the entertainment and broadcast industries
• Management changes within the sales and marketing organization that are taking the company to a high level of visibility
• Attitude -- the likes of which I witnessed in the early days of EMC; a company that knows it has a competitive product and is willing to tell the world about it without hesitation
• Focus on customer satisfaction; especially as they move into new vertical market and new accounts.
• Storage I/O performance that is ready for prime time” for high-performance systems and Cloud Computing environments, along with availability and functionally geared to the highly available

OK, so I did not come up with one simple answer, but that is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an advertisement for DataDirect. I am simply stating the facts as I see them… and I have been part of the storage industry for over 30 years now, and it appears to me that the company is rapidly on its way up. Does DataDirect Networks face some stiff competition? You bet they do, and they will have to stay on their toes to stave off some pretty big names.

The Trainer Test results: Given the quality, availability, performance, customer satisfaction, upbeat attitude, positive management changes, and longevity of credible high-performance storage delivery, I believe that DataDirect Networks is poised to be the new storage dynasty for high performance and Cloud Computing environments.