Business fundamentals dictate the need for specialist distribution in the cutting-edge data storage and management sector to translate complex technology into business benefits. It is no longer a question of whether end users want storage, but how much they need, with the demand for storage growing as data volume increases exponentially in organisations.

A vendor’s responsibility is to create exceptional technology to answer real needs, create awareness and demand for this technology, and maximise sales to sustain business. In marketing there is an understanding that ongoing product development combined with expanding customer awareness drives the commoditisation of products–even with complex, emerging technologies.

The predicament from the end customer perspective is that there is nothing commodity based, discretionary or non-considered about a technology purchase decision. This dichotomy – the commodity sell of complex technology – presents an enormous dilemma, and with it an enormous channel opportunity.

The channel therefore must assume the role of translating mass-marketed, complex technology into highly customised business productivity, continuity and optimisation initiatives.

End users are not concerned with the technology and the general commoditisation of products, but they expect that the channel will provide answers to the two major concerns of modern business: business productivity and business continuity. The channel has an opportunity to address the complexity of data management and storage in terms of these emerging business, continuity, rapid and reliable access, redundancy, productivity and compliance issues.