EMC targets NetApp on SME turf

EMC has rolled out its largest offerings ever with 40 new storage technologies and products aimed directly at undercutting NetApp's footing, according to CNet.

Among EMC's releases, the most notable item is a new family of systems called VNXe, aimed at small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as remote offices.

The VNXe system prices will range from below the $10 000 mark to $40 000. The VNXe family is basically the heart of EMC's mid-tier storage line-up and takes the company into a niche that it couldn't hit with its Iomega unit, which sells systems in the $5 000 and under segment.

The lack of reliable Internet connection is still a main obstacle for Asia's SMEs keen to adopt cloud computing services, says an executive, reports ZDNet Asia.

In an interview with ZDNet Asia, Serguei Beloussov, chairman and CEO of Parallels, noted that the extent of cloud computing adoption among SMEs in the Asia-Pacific region is related to the spread of Internet connection.

"If you look at Singapore, every SME has a Web site. However, if you look beyond Singapore to Indonesia, for example, that would not be the case," Beloussov said. He noted, though, that this will "dramatically change" with the growing adoption of smartphones and 4G wireless connection, allowing users easier access to the Internet.

A worldwide survey has revealed some disheartening news about US-based SMEs: They're not feeling very confident about their disaster recovery and backup solutions, states Information Week.

What's gumming up the works a bit for SMBs the world over is the rise of virtual and cloud-based computing solutions. Most companies are not embracing an either/or platform - that is, they're using hybrid systems consisting of on-premise, virtual, and cloud apps.

As a result, there's no one cohesive disaster recovery deployment in place, and SMEs are feeling a little scattered. For the survey, conducted by the Ponemon Institute for backup and recovery provider Acronis, more than 3 000 SME IT personnel in 13 countries were asked questions gauging their attitudes about backup and disaster recovery.