DataDirect Networks keeps the Tintri channel going

I must admit to being impressed with DataDirect Networks’ innovative approach – yes, I think we can use the word “innovative” here – to maintaining support for Tintri customers while it waits for a potential acquisition of the struggling storage vendor to be approved.

Rather than sit on the sidelines and wait for its offer “to acquire substantially all the assets of Tintri” after the storage vendor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 10 July to be approved, DDN tried to ensure continuity for Tintri customers and partners by signing a global reseller agreement on 30 July.

Commenting on the agreement, DDN CEO and co-founder Alex Bouzari said: “We are delighted to be able to provide immediate support to Tintri customers worldwide.” He added that Tintri users, resellers, VARs and distributors around the world could “now fully rely on DDN to support their business and mission-critical enterprise environments”.

DDN also revealed it was “rapidly building a world-class team with new hires in engineering, support, customer service, field technical engineering and sales to deliver outstanding service and long-term continuity to Tintri customers around the world”.

The company has stated that if it is successful in acquiring Tintri’s assets, it plans “to honour Tintri customers’ existing support agreements”.

The reseller agreement is a clever way to reassure Tintri partners and customers of DDN’s commitment while, at the same time, ensuring that if things don’t work out with the plan to buy the assets of the storage vendor, the company will have already had an opportunity to develop a relationship with those partners and customers.

Also, as I stated above, it keeps things moving, rather than forcing everybody to wait, stuck in limbo, for the deal to go through – assuming it is accepted. No one wants to be in the position of helplessly waiting for something to happen. By signing a global reseller agreement, DDN has been seen to seize the initiative and keep the process on track.

If (or when) the acquisition is completed, DDN will already have made a good start in building the relationships that it needs to take over from Tintri.

Perhaps we’ll see more of these types of deals in the future to help provide a continuation of supply, service and support for companies that opt for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. If so, it will merely serve to demonstrate just how important the reseller role is in the IT industry.