New Intel Storage Initiative
New Intel Storage Initiative
January 16, 2006: Intel has announced that it has brought together over 40 storage providers, platform integrators and application developers to form a new service - the Intel Storage Community (ISC).
Intel’s aim apparently, is to help IT departments find storage information and solutions via an online repository of product and service information. The portal contains information posted by ISC members on their storage products, services and developing trends / technologies. The question is, why is Intel suddenly making a storage push?
Mike Wall, Intel’s general manager of storage group marketing calls the ISC: “…a constantly expanding resource that will help enable manufacturers, platform integrators and storage professionals to accelerate the deployment of high-performance, cost-effective storage solutions.”
After using the self-styled resource, IDM found the portal to be threadbare and more of a glorified links page than a repository of helpful information. Granted it has only just been released, but a smidgin of product information coupled with an external link to the manufacturers gives the announcement and impotent edge coming from a major player like Intel.
Browsing the disk drive category for example, brings up six results from Hitachi but no other vendors. The information comprises marketing information and links to Hitachi’s website. Other sections such as Standards & Technologies have more information such as basic glossaries, however this information can be accessed just as easily using any number of other search engines.
Wall says that “The Solutions Directory is a critical component of the program that gives developers ‘one-stop-shop’ access to a broad range of standards-based building blocks.”
At the moment the one-stop-shop is doing more to illustrate what is going on behind the scenes at Intel than providing a useful service.
This storage push seems to be a bit out of character for Intel. When combined with its recent high-profile “Leap Ahead” re-branding and new relationship with Apple, it looks like Intel is re-inventing its wheel. IDM sees the ISC as a huge admission by Intel that the storage market is The market to be in.
IDM is awaiting further comment from Fujitsu Australia, EMC and Intel.
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