A Reliable Partner

What's interesting about Highly Reliable, besides its hot product set, is that the company is an offshoot of Sierra Computers and Training, a Reno, Nev.-based solution provider. Darren McBride, CEO of both Sierra and Highly Reliable, is one of a growing number of VARs who are taking their own solutions-oriented product sets and offering to let other solution providers sell them. It's a hot trend that is taking hold because of the highly concentrated solutions drive by VARs like McBride.

Highly Reliable's ambitious goal is nothing short of eliminating what McBride calls unreliable tape backup solutions. McBride makes no secret of his antitape bias. In fact, he has a Web site aimed at making any and all visitors aware of the shortcomings of tape.

McBride has taken great pains to make sure Highly Reliable's products are up to snuff for solution providers. The margins on the products reach up to 25 percent. What's more, McBride said he will hold the line on price and will not undercut his own VARs.

"Even if a large company wants to order 100, we're not going to discount our rate so that resellers get hit on margin," promised McBride. "That has happened to us too many times. What happens is the manufacturer ends up taking the deal direct. They simply don't respect the reseller channel. I want to make sure no matter what happens, our resellers get a good margin."

Highly Reliable, which is aiming its offerings at businesses with less than 100 employees, is already receiving some acclaim for its approach. The company has been nominated as a finalist for the N I Best In Show award in the networked storage category for its Highly Reliable 7 Bay Rackmount system, which offers a whopping 560-Gyte backup capability at a street price of only $2,695.

Whether you're at N I or not, if you are evaluating small-business backup products, then you owe it to yourself to check these guys out. With a tried-and-true

solution provider like McBride mapping out the channel effort, you should be assured of a highly reliable partnership with Highly Reliable.

What do you think of the Highly Reliable proposition? Let me know at (781) 839-1221 or via e-mail at [email protected].