Were a we don't need no stinking VCs' company, says Thompson, who admits hes far too robust to be mistaken for a string bean. We empathize with those companies. But we would love the investment.
Le says String Bean has more than 100 paying customers since it launched its software last May. Not all the customers are SMBs. He says String Bean has found interest among larger companies looking to complement Fibre Channel SANs. But perhaps the best thing String Bean has going for it is a strong working relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft is a customer, and the Redmond, Wash. gang no doubt likes the idea of software that turns Windows servers into IP SANs.
StringBeans software lets Windows users share local disk resources over an Ethernet network, and it supports SAN features such as snapshot and volume management. The software costs $250 per server.
String Bean is working on its second-generation product, which will support 64-bit servers and is tentatively scheduled for release in July. That would make it a better fit for higher end customers. Le says hes also working on building up a solid sales channel by then.
EMC and Dell are also pushing their Clarion AX100 IP SAN at SMBs through the channel. The String Bean guys are hoping that helps their cause, rather than hurts it.
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