Architects Pick DataCore

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- DataCore Software, the leading provider of hardware independent, storage virtualization SAN solutions, today announced that Hoefer Wysocki Architects has selected and deployed DataCores SANmelody™ as their storage area network (SAN). Hoefer Wysocki Architects is a mid-size architectural firm, which had maintained a steady headcount of 35-40 employees for a number of years running. Brenda Dvorak, IT Director, was initially trying to solve the data storage issue with more hardware. The whole business of archiving what the firm needed to save data-wise got to be a real hassle for Dvorak. Then in 2006 the firm won Kansas City’s Small Business of the Year award and shortly thereafter the firm quickly doubled in size. The more jobs that the firm landed meant an increase in the number of files employees were generating as well as larger files and a larger data storage problem.

A Storage Virtualization Infrastructure That Leverages VMware

“In terms of deploying a SAN, during the span of six months the partners went from ‘Absolutely not, we are not going to spend that much money’ to ‘Let’s do whatever you need,’” said Dvorak. “We were at the size that we needed to put something in place that would allow us to grow and not have to add hardware all the time and essentially throw away what we already had.” In terms of past work experience, Dvorak came from a SAN environment – a hardware SAN environment. She was well versed in the cost difference between the two. Even with the knowledge that the software route was far less expensive, it helped that DataCore partner The Mirazon Group could more fully make the case for a software SAN.

Barry Martin, partner at The Mirazon Group, presented the whole vision of storage virtualization. “I really did like the idea,” commented Dvorak. “Rather than spend $70,000 on a piece of hardware, I could spend far less going with a software SAN and use some of the existing hardware that I had. That’s the reason we went the way we did.” While Hoefer Wysocki looked at other SAN solutions, the firm went upon the recommendation of DataCore’s partner in choosing SANmelody. “Moreover, we could put in another SANmelody solution very easily and still be under what we would have paid for a true hardware SAN,” added Dvorak.

DataCore Software Corp.