EMC Jolts Arrays Channel

The company plans to roll out an online configure-to-order program for its Clariion arrays over the next nine months, said Gregg Ambulos, vice president of global channels for EMC. The new system will allow solution providers to get up-to-date pricing and to check order status, he said.

Other EMC officials have said the company soon expects to introduce entry-level versions of its Clariion arrays geared toward the SMB space.

Channel partners have also embraced EMC's new accreditation program, implemented earlier this year, Ambulos said.

Greg Hagerl, director of sales at Lewan and Associates, a Denver-based EMC solution provider, said the online configuration system sounds interesting, but he is not sure how helpful it will be for his business. "We already have very good technical expertise in-house," Hagerl said.