IBM Debuts Pre-Tested Storage Solutions

The TotalStorage Proven program was introduced to IBM business partners this week at the PartnerWorld 2002 event in San Francisco. Under the new program, IBM will integrate pre-tested applications and hardware from third party vendors with IBM storage technologies to make available a wide variety of pre-tested, interoperable offerings that can be deployed quickly.

Bob Samson, vice president of worldwide sales and operations for IBM storage, says the new offering takes advantage of IBM's strong position as both a technology leader and a provider of interoperable, open standards-based storage solutions.

"This is a great way to integrate all the parts and deliver them to the customer as a total solution," said Samson in an interview with VARBusiness at the event.

IBM's strategy is based on the notion that clients have two specific concerns when it comes to their storage solutions: lowering their cost of ownership while lowering risks associated with their infrastructures. The TotalStorage Proven program fits the bill by allowing IBM and its business partners to deliver fully integrated, pre-configured and repeatable solutions.

IBM storage executives say business partners who take advantage of the program will also be able to reduce the sales cycle and cut down on basic integration issues, giving them more opportunities for high-margin customization work. In addition, the interoperability testing program lets them work with IBM to develop their own solutions that integrate TotalStorage products.

The company will also make custom testing available at the more than 130 partner-based TotalStorage Solution Centers worldwide or through IBM Global Services, providing demonstrations and real-time storage configuration testing.

Last year, more than 50 percent of the company's storage-related revenue was generated through IBM business partners.