Trusted Data Pockets $12M

Trusted Data, the startup headed by BlueArc founder Geoff Barrall developing a storage system for the technically ignorant, has quietly picked up another $12 million in funding while preparing to come out of stealth next year. (See Our Top 10 Storage Networking Stars.)

Barrall is keeping his product under wraps, except to say it is networked storage for non-technical users. Barrall says Trusted Data is testing its wares and hopes to roll out systems early next year initially for small businesses and maybe even home users before eventually moving up to larger companies.

All he'll say is he has patents pending for a technology he calls an alternative to RAID that is far simpler to set up and manage.

"It could ultimately replace RAID in a chunk of midrange business," Barrall says of his systems. "We're calling it a replacement for RAID for non-technical folks. But that doesn't prohibit its use in environments with people who are more technical."

Despite the lack of specifics, Trusted Data picked up $12 million over the summer in an unannounced B round led by Sutter Hill Ventures. First-round investors Greylock Partners and RRE Ventures also participated, bringing the startup's funding to $18 million. (See TDS Secures $6M.) Sutter Hill's Ron Bernal joins Trusted Data's board.Barrall says he will use funding to expand the 25-person company, specifically sales and marketing after concentrating on engineering so far.

Barrall has a knack for fundraising. BlueArc grabbed $150 million during his tenure as CTO before he left last May. (See BlueArc's Barrall Says Bye Bye.) But his success at Trusted Data will turn on his ability to gather partners, since the low-end storage market is primarily a channel play.

"They're looking to make idiot-proof storage," says analyst Brad O'Neill of the Taneja Group. "But at that level, they'll be made or broken on OEM relationships."

Dave Raffo, News Editor, Byte and Switch