SGI seeks partners for its storage offerings

Silicon Graphics Inc (SGI) is seeking solution partners for its InfiniteStorage offerings. But the company wants only those partners who are already providing solutions around storage and not resellers. 

Says Bill La Rosa, Senior VP, SGI, "As it is important for us to articulate our value-proposition, there is no dependency on high-volume channel partners." He adds that SGI is extremely interested in identifying partners who can take its three-pronged technology offerings either individually or together to the market.

"We use our channel partners to give us access to expanding markets, where we can't personally focus on. In India, we have had long-standing channel partnerships with companies like Tata Elxsi and PCS Computers," adds Bill. The company has also signed up Apara Enterprises as its solution partner for the InfiniteStorage range.

SGI caters to five markets: government and defense, life sciences, manufacturing, energy and media houses. It also plans to set up more reality centers for customers in these five segments and has already deployed six of these in India, including one for
ONGC. 

These reality centers use SGI's Onyx visual supercomputers for simultaneously processing 3D graphics, imaging and video data in real time. Customers can choose to have the machines for desks, rooms or even on their walls. The collation of this data helps customers to make an informed decision about various critical business aspects. 

Citing an example, Prasad Medury, MD, SGI India explains, "When an oil corporation sets up a reality center away from its offshore rig, our solutions permit them to collect data from various streams like videos, satellite or personal exploration. These can be fed into the supercomputer and a simulated environment is created. The scientists can look through all these visual images and then decide where to drill for oil and how deep the rig should dig." 

SGI is keen to work with solution partners for the setting up and maintenance of such reality centers in India. It will engage with partners right from the conceptualization of the center, and will handhold during the creation of a structured methodology for clients. "This will help us to understand the customer's need and come up with an ideal solution," says
Prasad. 

This proposal will then be presented for approval. Once the facility's design is approved, SGI oversees the development, construction and testing of the center, along with the partners. The latter will also be relied upon for the maintenance and upgradation of these facilities, as and when needed. 

SGI will offer flexible financing plans and long-term technology refresh programs to customers to invest in this technology.

VINITA BHATIA

CI NEWS BUREAU

Mumbai