NetApp Reseller the I.T. Pros Named ''Storage Technologies Winner'' by Business Solutions Magazine

NetApp (NASDAQ:NTAP) value-added reseller (VAR) the I.T. Pros was recently named the winner of a Channel Innovator Award by Business Solutions magazine. The I.T. Pros, a gold-level member of the NetApp VIP Program, was honored in the storage technologies category for its innovative solutions for Fugro Pelagos, a company specializing in offshore survey services. Fugro Pelagos itself was honored this year as a finalist in the 2007 NetApp Innovation Awards. The annual Channel Innovator awards highlight the most revolutionary channel solutions in each of eight categories: wireless, data collection, point of sale, network security, content management, VoIP, storage technologies, and managed services. Business Solutions technology editors review the nominations and select the winners. The winners have one thing in common: they went beyond the norm to successfully tackle projects that were challenging to implement. Fugro Pelagos scientists spend weeks at sea using advanced sonar and LIDAR technologies and equipment to gather detailed information that can be processed to display very specific images of the seafloor throughout the world. With an increasing number of projects and an increasing amount of data being produced for each project, data storage, management, and retention were becoming serious issues. The existing direct-attached storage model was no longer sufficient, and Fugro Pelagos turned to the I.T. Pros and other VARs for a solution. The I.T. Pros, a San Diego–based computer and network consulting firm and NetApp reseller, recommended the NetApp® FAS3050 for the Fugro Pelagos primary data center and NetApp FAS270 systems for worldwide field use. After weighing the options, Seth Georgion, manager of IT Service at Fugro Pelagos, chose the NetApp solution over those from Sun Microsystems, Dell, and EMC, among others. The company immediately realized improved data storage efficiency, increasing its data gathering capability from 2TB over a six-month period to 20TB per month. With a simplified, flexible storage environment running the NetApp Data ONTAP® operating system across all storage systems, Fugro Pelagos is now able to take on more sophisticated projects and turn out more detailed maps in a shorter amount of time. Based on this success, the I.T. Pros recommended NetApp S500 systems, which now handle data storage in some of Fugro Pelago’s remote sites as well. "The I.T. Pros is proud to accept this award,” said George Vahle, vice president of Sales and Marketing at the I.T. Pros. "Fugro Pelagos’s business was being limited by its data storage and management system. What was important, and what ultimately led it to choose NetApp, was finding a storage system that could be uniformly implemented across its data installations big and small. And with the FAS3020’s modular storage, the scientists no longer have to carry entire servers to each location. They just swap out the drive shelves when they return from sea. It’s simple, effective, and flexible enough to meet Fugro Pelagos’s needs.” "The I.T. Pros did a wonderful job tailoring the perfect solution for a company whose storage issues were made all the more complex with part of their data being at sea,” said Leonard Iventosch, vice president of Worldwide Channels at NetApp. "Despite unique challenges, Fugro Pelagos now has a unified, flexible, and efficient storage solution that is helping it grow its business and complete projects faster. The I.T. Pros truly earned this award.” For more information about the Business Solutions Channel Innovators Awards and this year's winners, visit www.businesssolutionsmag.com/index.php?option =com_content&task=view&id=156 (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field.  Remove the extra space if one exists.). About NetApp NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that accelerate business breakthroughs and deliver outstanding cost efficiency. Discover NetApp’s passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com. NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go further, faster, and Data ONTAP are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such.