sTec Launches Global Channel Program

sTec, Inc. (no more STEC, Inc.) announced its range of solid-state solutions are now available to enterprise customers through the company’s new direct sales and global channel programs.

Building upon its two-decade track record of delivering flash-based storage solutions through server and storage OEMs, sTec has added experienced channel partners and broadened the technical and market expertise of its direct sales force, delivering a team of professionals with backgrounds in enterprise storage. These additions serve to expand sTec’s reach into the enterprise and in key vertical markets, including oil and gas, federal government, telecommunications, financial services, cloud, and social media.

Transforming Data Centers
with Added Expertise, Expanded Sales Channels
With its expanded global reach and vertical-market expertise, sTec is now organized to best serve the enterprise storage industry as it undergoes a transformation. Market research indicates that enterprise storage is rapidly shifting to scalable architectures tailored toward specific applications that depend less on pre-configured servers and other storage systems. sTec’s new direct-to-user approach supports the tailored data-center model by providing IT professionals access to its enterprise SSDs and software, and specialized sTec application and storage market expertise.

"The enterprise storage market is undergoing a transformation in which organizations are looking beyond general-purpose solutions for their infrastructures and toward a customized installation for high-end, data-driven applications and workloads," said Jeff Janukowicz, research director, solid state drives and enabling technologies at IDC. "We estimate that by 2016 just under half of all enterprise storage capacity shipped will be through non-system OEM channels, which include shipments directly to hyperscale cloud data centers, ODMs, and specialized system integrators, presenting a clear opportunity for providers that can offer a variety of storage solutions geared toward specific vertical deployments and application requirements."

Addressing the new market landscape, sTec’s restructured organization includes over 50 new professionals from storage vendors with experience developing customized solutions for data centers. The expanded sales infrastructure complements the company’s channel program, and broadens enterprises’ direct access to sTec’s established solid-state storage solutions. sTec is further expanding its global channel program through partners with particular expertise and proximity to the company’s customers, enabling it to best serve its targeted vertical markets.

"As the company that has shipped more SSDs to the enterprise than any other supplier, we have the unique capability to provide critical application knowledge and experience to solve our customers’ most critical issues," said Ali Zadeh, corporate SVP and CMO, and GM of the systems and software group, sTec. "While there will always be enterprise environments based on turn-key storage solutions, today many IT managers must tailor their data center infrastructures to suit specific applications and workloads. With our recently expanded portfolio of solid-state storage solutions and new vertical-market and applications expertise, sTec is the ideal solutions provider to address the emerging tailored data center model."

Industry-Wide Endorsements
"We required a storage solution that could not only meet our hardware demands, but also combine several SSD formats with caching software that improved performance and manageability," said Daniel Iniguez, IT Manager, NYX Cosmetics, an international cosmetics maker. "sTec’s SSDs have exceeded our expectations and, working in tandem with EnhanceIO, address high storage loads and caching without fail."

"sTec has an incomparable reputation in SSD solutions, which complement our hypervisor software exceptionally well," said Carlos Carreras, VP, alliances and business development, DataCore Software Corp., in hypervisor storage software.

"The government markets that Norseman serves demand fast, reliable, solid-state storage solutions backed by a commitment to customer service," said Justin Bonner, CEO, Norseman Defense Technologies, an IT solutions integrator and consultant. "sTec has shown its value in partner loyalty and responsiveness, and we are proud to offer their innovative solutions to our customers."