Microsoft primes Storage Server R2 for Asia

SINGAPORE--Microsoft is readying the Asian launch of Windows Storage Server (WSS) 2003 R2, its storage management software for network attached storage (NAS), scheduled for May 24. But, the question remains if customers in the region will bite.

WSS 2003 was first unveiled in 2003, with small and midsize businesses (SMBs) as its target customers. WSS 2003 R2 was launched in San Diego April 4 this year, replete with new features and enhancements.

The WSS 2003 R2 now boasts features such as Single-Instance Storage (SIS), an updated Distributed File System (DFS) and a fully indexed search system.

SIS scans contents that have been saved in a volume, and ensures that only one unique copy of any file, including the original file and its subsequent modifications, is saved to the NAS device. This reduces the complexity of indexing and version-controlling of network files.

The updated DFS has a new compression scheme, called RDC (remote differential compression), which now allows files to be updated over bandwidth-limited WAN (wide area network) links more efficiently.

Chris Sharp, general manager at Microsoft Asia-Pacific's server and tools division, told ZDNet Asia that the software vendor is now also looking to tap into the region's large enterprise market, with the new and improved software platform.

"Microsoft's OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partners such as EMC, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and IBM, can customize and scale WSS 2003 R2 models to meet all customer segments--from SMBs to [large] enterprise customers," he said. HP and IBM, for instance, are already using the Microsoft Management Console (MCC) plug-in within their storage management software, and can further customize it to add value to the console, Sharp explained.

"The benefit of MCC is that each feature can be managed in the same way, and the interface is already familiar to Windows administrators, hence there is no learning curve," he added.

However, not all are convinced that end-users know enough about the WSS 2003 R2, or if they need it.

Graham Penn, associate vice president at IDC Asia-Pacific's storage division, acknowledged that although Microsoft has made some headway with an OEM version of WSS 2003 R2, he noted that at this stage, "it's not clear if end-users know much about it, or if they care".

"The Windows Storage Server 2003 hasn't been marketed greatly to end-users, and the vendor [building on] it most at the moment appears to be HP," Penn said.

In fact, he said, most of the hardware makers are trying to get their own brand of storage management software to be "the centre of the universe".

"If they use what Microsoft supplies out of a box, they lose control of the computing stack," he noted. "Even if they take it, it's in their interest to customize it somehow."

Another obstacle which stands against Microsoft is that customers "don't necessarily need to have Microsoft [software] in a storage device to make [that device] work", Penn said. Companies that have purchased NAS systems from EMC or NetApp, for example, can use the software provided by these vendors, to manage the devices.

Penn said: "Microsoft has a lot of convincing, of OEM and end-users, to do before they can dominate this space. But they're patient, and they've got a lot of time."

Clear vision
Microsoft's Sharp was quick to disagree, saying: "We feel we have clearly articulated the Microsoft storage vision to customers, analysts and press around the world."

He listed Dell Computer, IBM, Fujitsu-Siemens, Brocade, Hitachi Data Systems, EMC, amongst others, as "vocal supporters" of Microsoft's storage directions. Sharp also pointed out that these partners have built and delivered products which integrate with Microsoft storage technologies. He added that several partners including Dell, HP, IBM, Fujitsu-Siemens, Iomega, Fujitsu, and NEC, have already integrated WSS 2003 R2 into their own product offerings.

Sharp stressed that Microsoft remains bullish on its outlook for WSS 2003 R2. "We plan to grow, at least, at the region's [NAS] market rate for the price bands (US$500 and over) which we compete in," he said. "This is consistent with our previous performance."

"In the upcoming fiscal year, we will also introduce an iSCSI feature pack for WSS 2003 R2, and new functionality," he added, noting that this will give Microsoft partners the ability to compete in higher-end price bands.