Storage giant EMC has announced the creation of three operating
units intended to help the company speed up interoperability with
other vendors' products.
Although EMC has profited from keeping users tied to its own
storage systems, it is now trying to make its software work with
competing vendors' products. Users have long complained that EMC
kept its architecture too closed and charged well-above-average
prices as a result of its proprietary roots.
To help push along its open philosophy, the company has created
three new operating units.
The Open Software Operations unit will focus on making EMC's
applications work with other companies' products. This group will
manage the development of the ControlCentre/Open Edition suite. The
company said earlier this week that it would roll out more products
over the next 12 months than at any other time in its history
including storage management applications designed to plug into the
ControlCentre/Open Edition framework.
Erez Ofer has been promoted to executive vice-president and will
head the Open Software Operations unit.
EMC has also created a Storage Platforms Operations group to
oversee the company's entire hardware line. This will mark the
first time the company has had one executive who will monitor the
Symmetrix, Clariion and Celerra systems, a company spokesman said.
David Donatelli has been promoted to executive vice-president and
will lead this unit.
The third new group is the Customer Operations unit. Frank Hauck,
who previously oversaw EMC's direct and indirect customer service
and professional services organisations, will lead this division.
Huack is to retain the same role within the unit and try to align
EMC's services business with its open platform strategy.
EMC veteran Moshe Yanai has been promoted to founder and EMC
"fellow". Yanai worked on the team that developed the Symmetrix
system, while Bill Teuber was promoted to executive vice-president
and chief financial officer.
By making these moves, EMC says it will be better equipped to align
the company around its new strategy. A larger overall view of the
company's products, coupled with the executives' experience, could
help EMC speed up what analysts have warned will be a lengthy
transformation.