Cisco looks for share of SMB storage market with NAS boxes |
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By Dave Raffo, Senior News Director
26 Jan 2009 | SearchStorageChannel.com |
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Cisco Systems Inc. today launched two networked file storage devices designed for SMBs.
The NSS2000 and NSS3000 are smaller versions of the NSS4000 and NSS6000, which were part of the Linksys product line acquired by Cisco. The new NAS boxes are targeted for backing up files on PCs and servers and storing digital files such as video from IP surveillance cameras.
The devices encrypt files and are available with Cisco Small Business Continuous Data Protection, which is an OEM version of IBM Corp.'s CDP for Files data protection software.
Bob Reisdorf, director of technical services for B2B Computer Products, a value-added reseller based in Addison, Ill., said his company sells storage ranging from small iSCSI to large Fibre Channel SANs but that the Cisco devices could fill a gap in the SMB storage market.
"Our small businesses are looking for backup solutions the big guys have at a price point they can afford," he said. "This fits into that area; we can put it in there and as budgets pick up, we can expand it. It's also easy for us to incorporate data protection for them."
Tim Harmon, Forrester senior analyst for small business and channels, said the SMB landscape could change due to the current financial situation and the people implementing storage for small companies may be more familiar with Cisco.
"Cisco is one of the few tech vendors bringing their resources to bear on the SMB market holistically: through channels, SMB-relevant solutions, brand, knowledge resources, and small versus medium segmentation," Harmon said. "This last is particularly critical, as the 'new small' will be characterized by a new breed of entrepreneurs, professionals who will have come from the ranks of downsized tech-laden industries -- financial services, architecture and engineering, transportation, high tech, and retail -- and will represent a departure from the mom-and-pop SMB profile of the past."
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