Imation provides storage on rent program

Imation has launched the 'Store On Rent', 'pay per use' storage
program targeted at customers with multi-point storage needs. "The basic
premise of this program is that the customer should not be investing in any tape
drives. Capital expenditure investments are meant for data cartridges and data.
This program helps the customer focus his/her investments in the critical areas
of storage technology and implements best practices in back up techniques,"
states Ajit Karunakaran, Country Manager, Data Storage, Imation India.

The best part of Store On Rent is that it is independent of vendors or
technologies. The customer can choose the technology and Imation helps him
implement financial freedom in storage management. "In simple terms,
customer defines his/her storage needs and decides on the back up
technology," says Ajit.

Under the program, the customer invests in the tapes and back up techniques,
Imation invests in the storage hardware for the Customer. Customer continues to
invest in tapes and ensuring reliability of data but frees capital expenditures
on tape drives for other mission critical investments and saves of the cost and
maintenance of tape drives and upgradation of the same end of depreciation.

The company plans to position the program at the SME and small organizations,
which cannot afford to invest in their own storage devices. At the same time it
wishes to move its partners up the value chain by encouraging them to provide
24x7 service to the customers.

"The idea is to increase the interface between partners and customers
and equip partners with adequate infrastructure support and technical skill set
so that they are able to serve customers in a 24x7 environment," explains
Ajit.

For implementation of this program, the company is looking at OEM partners
like Tandberg and Storage Tek. "We are partnering with those SIs who are
already selling our OEM partners' products and are bundling our solutions
along with these products to build up a large customer base," elaborates
Ajit.

KUSUM MAKHIJA