Analysis

posted on 07 March 2008 18:46

PivotStor is a very new tape automation company that apparently believes it can take on the tape automation heavyweights with a mid-market range of LTO3 and 4 tape products and nothing else, apart from a good channel programme.

In a world where tape automation vendors are either failing (Tandberg), getting bought (ADIC, Exabyte), retiring formats (SLR, DLT, VXA, Mammoth, SuperAIT), or rushing to become all-round data protection vendors with disk-based backup, virtual tape libraries, data de-duplication and replication, PivotStor is a refreshing, not to say a rousing cold water shower, return to tape automation basics: good value, rackshelf-mounted, LTO mid-market tape libraries and a well-tuned channel programme.

Is it enough? Is that all?

The AP Series of tape library products are basically three: TL2000 2U-high, TL4000 4U high; and TL8000 8U high. Obviously there are more drives and more slots as you layer TL2000s together to get the mid-range and high-end model. The range of products are available with LTO3 (full height and half height), and LTO4 with either SCSI, SAS or Fibre Channel interfaces.

2U models can hold up to 24 tapes in two magazines, with a compressed capacity capability of up to 38.4TB, and are ideal for customers who are moving from direct-attach tape drives or tape autoloaders.

4U models can hold up to 48 tapes in 4 12-slot magazines, with a compressed capacity capability of up to 76.8TB.

8U models can hold up to 96 tapes in 8 12-slot magazines, with a compressed capacity capability of up to 153.6TB

AP Series 4U and 8U Expansion Modules, announced in February, will be available in second half of CY2008. These will essentially double the existing slot-count to installed 4U (48-slots) and 8U (96-slots) configurations.

The products are sold exclusively through a 2-tier channel: distributors; VARs and system integrators. Hammer is the European distributor.

The company says that it 'is focused on delivering a complete suite of data protection solutions that cost-effectively solve real customer problems.' This suggests that the current 3-product line-up is not going to be the sum total of PivotStor's products.

A solutions section on the company's website is not yet populated with information so that is no help with attempting to prise out the company's product strategy.

The website doesn't feature terms such as 'disk-to-disk backup' or 'virtual tape library' or even 'green'.

The founder, CEO and president, Jack Corrao, is described thus: "Jack Corrao has held numerous executive management positions in the data storage and computer industry for more than a quarter of a century, including executive roles at companies such as BakBone Software, Unisys Corporation, Scientific Computer Systems, Dot Hill Systems, Seagate/Certance and Nstor/Andataco."

"Before founding PivotStor LLC., Jack established Corrao Enterprises, a consulting firm that provides accelerated go-to-market (GTM) and business development planning and execution. He was previously Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Certance, leading that firm's product development, corporate communications, strategic partnerships and OEM and channel marketing strategy prior to its acquisition by Quantum Corporation. Prior to that, he was President and COO at BakBone Software, where he was responsible for the strategic formulation and execution of the firm's worldwide sales and marketing strategy, as well as its day-to-day operations."

That's a solid tape industry background.

The management team is heavy on sales executives but doesn't feature anyone with a CTO role. There's a director of operations but no mention of manufacturing.

There is an advisory council of one: Chet Baffa, described thus: "Chet is a senior executive, specializing in high tech marketing and sales, with more than 35 years’ experience. A graduate of Allegheny College with a BA in Economics, Chet has been the chief marketing and/or sales officer in a number of fast growth high technology companies focused in the storage systems markets. Chet was a key member of the teams at data storage firms such as ATL, Exabyte, and Overland Data, responsible for successfully building channel marketing programs at those companies. He led efforts at one company that drove annual sales from $11 million to more than $250 million just more than four years. At another firm, revenues rocketed from $19 million to $120 million in just two years as a result of Chet’s program of targeted product placements, marketing programs and sales force redeployment."

Again, very heavy on the channel sales side.

There's no mention of funding and no board of directors. Chet is a member of an organisation called the Corrao Enterprises Team, as is Tony Asaro, PivotStor's CFO. It looks like a Corrao-owned private company with a possibly fierce concentration on mainstream tape automation basics.

In a contracting tape market PivotStor has to take market share from existing vendors. It's going to do it, apparently, by offering essentially the same tape automation product as most other vendors, LTO3 and 4, with twists like SAS connectivity and half-height drives, and a better - it has to be better to work - channel programme.

That appears to be it: simple;concise; and clear. There are better products and a better channel programme with the aim, it appears, of switching LTO3 and 4 customers from existing suppliers to PivotStor through a committed channel.

It could work too.