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Tacit Networks Inc., a maker of wide-area file services (WAFS) software, has announced an agreement with IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) that illustrates the growing role of WAFS in storage networks and data centers (see Tacit Networks, IBM Team).
Tacit already had a deal for Big Blue to sell its appliances in Denmark. What's more, John Hufford, a senior technical staff member at IBM/Systems Group in California, is on Tacit's advisory board. The new agreement expands on this: IBM can add other locations worldwide to its Tacit distribution roster, and Tacit's gotten its products certified for use with IBM servers and storage gear, which should grease the wheels of potential sales. Tacit's also developing a rackmount version of its WAFS appliance for use with IBM's eServer xSeries servers, which run under Linux and Windows.
Tacit is one of a handful of suppliers that specialize in caching software for faster read/write access to multiple remote sites (see Watch Out for WAFS). And its relationship with IBM is akin to other partnerships that are helping WAFS vendors build their niche through arrangements with bigger fish.
Indeed, the need to consolidate and improve remote-site data connections has spawned a range of deals in recent months, including the purchase of Actona Technologies Inc. by Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) for $82 million (see Cisco Acts on Actona) and over $30 million in funding for Tacit and rival DiskSites Inc.
Other players in the space, including Riverbed Technology Inc. and Signiant Corp., have announced executive appointments and partnerships (see Riverbed Names Sales Boss, Riverbed Teams With EMC , and Signiant Partners With GTSI).
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