EMC Lets Clariion Out of the Bag

Calling it the worst-kept secret in the world,” EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) CEO Joe Tucci today confirmed that EMC and Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL) will deliver new Clariion product aimed at a lower level of the market than any of their current SAN offerings.

“Probably the worst-kept secret in the world is we are coming out with a lower-end Clariion,” Tucci said in a keynote talk at a technology investment symposium hosted by Goldman Sachs & Co.

Byte and Switch reported last week that Dell and EMC would deliver co-branded entry-level Clariion systems aimed at small-to-medium-business (SMBs) later this year (see Dell & EMC Prep Low-End SAN). Dell VP Russ Holt last week told analysts that Dell would manufacture what he called a “sub-entry” SAN platform, but did not identify it as part of the Clariion platform that EMC and Dell co-brand.

Tucci says EMC and Dell will also offer low-end NAS systems, which could help both eat away at Network Appliance Inc.'s (Nasdaq: NTAP) NAS dominance. While Dell co-brands Clariion SANs and resells EMC’s higher-end Symmetrix SANs, it markets its own low-end NAS platform.

“The low-end Clariion product -- which has been much written about -- is going to be extremely important to Dell, and that could put NAS at a price point that is really in Dell’s wheelhouse,” Tucci says.Dell will manufacture lower-end Clariion systems. Dell manufactures the lowest end of three current Clariions, while EMC manufactures the other two. The two companies earlier this month announced an upgrade of the existing Clariion line (see EMC Hits Hardware Refresh and Dell Enhances CX Line).

— Dave Raffo, Senior Editor, Byte and Switch