Pillar Promises Super-Efficient Storage

Company:

Headquarters: San Jose, Calif.

Technology Sector: Storage

Key Product: Pillar Axiom

Year Founded: 2001

Number of Channel Partners: 130 worldwide

Ideal Channel Partner: Enteprise-focused solution providers

Why You Should Care: Some young vendors focus on price advantage over bigger competitors to lure solution providers. Pillar Data Systems has instead opted for the performance comparison route.

The Lowdown: Pillar Data Systems, makers of the Axiom 300 and Axiom 600 storage systems as well AxiomONE software, claims that its technology enables applications to run up to 20 times faster than existing storage solutions, and it also guarantees 80 percent utilization of its products.

"You can use our technology to help applications run faster and bring more applications into a single footprint, giving more scalability," said Bob Maness, vice president of worldwide marketing and channel sales at Pillar.

One customer in France recently reached the 20-times performance mark utilizing an Oracle-based application on an Axiom solid state drive, Maness said.

"It's a message our partners can take advantage of. On a performance basis, because applications are most interested in performance, not capacity, we offer significant performance increases," he said.

Reza Zarafshar, president and CEO of Advanced Computer Concepts, a McLean, Va.-based solution provider, said the 80-percent utilization is a unique value-add that he can bring to customers.

"Their solution does not waste storage. We believe it's a very strong story to present to customers. That was the first attraction," said Zarafshar. "The second is that they're very willing to work with us as a solution provider. They're willing to work with us in the process of educating, sales training and sales enablement."

Zarafshar believes his customers utilize about 50 percent of their storage, which makes Pillar Data so compelling. Advanced Computer Concepts has been selling Pillar for about three months.

"And it's the way they classify storage, put it in the right location, the right platter. They're an important addition to us," he said.

Of course, saving a customer money is also a key message for Pillar too, Maness said.

"We try to drive with technology to get to a point of reducing operating and capital expenses from an infrastructure provider," Maness said.

Pillar is looking for partners with expertise in the health care and higher education vertical markets, according to Maness.

Pillar also has a Registered Service Provider program in which certified partners get access to the company's services offerings, which it does not sell directly to end users.

"We don't compete with them on services," Maness said.

The company also has a Cash for Storage Clunkers program going now in which Pillar will pay for older, inefficient storage systems leveraging Key Equipment Financing, a KeyCorp affiliate, he said.

"The old product is remarketed on the open market. It makes sense from an efficiency standpoint and helps partners penetrate their accounts," Maness said.