Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Storage

    Tucci Talking Tough

    By
    eWEEK EDITORS
    -
    May 6, 2002
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      EMC Corp., the largest maker of enterprise storage hardware, is in transition. The Hopkinton, Mass., vendor—which started as a furniture company in 1979 and went on to overtake IBMs storage dominance in the 1990s—recorded its first losing quarter in 12 years in November. CEO and President Joe Tucci responded by reorganizing EMC into engineering/manufacturing, software and distribution/operations groups.

      Now, while focusing internally on the high-end flagship Symmetrix, the AutoIS (Automatic Information Storage) heterogeneous management software and consulting, EMC is blazing the trail for object-based storage with its Content-Addressed Storage system.

      eWEEK Executive Editor Stan Gibson met with Tucci last week in New York to discuss these challenges and more.

      eWEEK: EMC was the company of the 90s in terms of growth. Is it possible, mathematically or technologically, to grow that fast in the next decade?

      Tucci: No. Because of our size, starting at $6 billion, wed probably be the biggest company in the world in 10 years at that rate. However, we expect to have substantial double-digit growth.

      eWEEK: Your efforts to create an open software platform through AutoIS have had mixed results. Are some other vendors, such as Hitachi [Ltd.] and IBM, tending to gang up on EMC?

      Tucci: Clearly, weve got a considerable lead, which is what you try to have. Theyre trying to throw in a little [fear, uncertainty and doubt]. We are driving standards through industry standard bodies, but we are adding value on top of that. IBM should talk. There was the Fibre Channel initiative, and then IBM comes out with [Serial Storage Architecture]. What are they talking about? Theyre full of crap. The facts are, we are embracing standards, and we are solving problems that customers tell us they have every single day.

      eWEEK: There is reportedly a Symmetrix killer coming out from Hitachi [this week] at NetWorld+Interop. Whats your reaction?

      Tucci: If everything is what they say it is, theyll have a hardware advantage. Then well come back and trump them. The area now, though, is functionality because hardware is outstripping customer needs. With [either] AutoIS or IBM Storage Tank, it matters not if you have one large box or three smaller boxes. It doesnt matter because the storage layer is abstracted. If they [Hitachi] do everything they say, they may get bragging rights at the high end. But, I assure you, those bragging rights will be short-lived. Were also coming out with lower-end products, both Symmetrix and Clariion, and software to tie it all together with AutoIS. It will look like one liquid pool of storage.

      eWEEK: Regarding another competitor, it looks like the [Hewlett-Packard Co.-Compaq Computer Corp.] merger will happen.

      Tucci: Good.

      eWEEK: How so?

      Tucci: There will be one, big company trying to do a lot of things. Cultures are tough to merge. When you put things together, it takes time, it takes effort and it takes focus. Youre focusing inwardly rather than on the customer.

      They are trying to out-IBM IBM. I think the focused players, such as Dell [Computer Corp.] and ourselves, will grow faster. Were working closely with Dell and getting many of the benefits that HP and Compaq are looking for without the disruption.

      eWEEK: There have been reports that you and [EMC Chairman] Mike Ruettgers have not been getting along.

      Tucci: Not true.

      eWEEK: Does he offer you the kind of support you need as president and CEO?

      Tucci: Yes, he does.

      eWEEK: He doesnt try to micromanage?

      Tucci: You cant micromanage me. Mike doesnt do that. Hes there. Hes active. He tries to focus on visiting customers, on running the board and on our acquisition strategy. It gives me a really experienced executive to bounce ideas off of. But on the day-to-day activity, he lets me run the company. Theres just one CEO, and thats me. We get along good personally, too. We play golf.

      eWEEK: Who wins?

      Tucci: Were both equally bad. But hes probably a little better than I am.

      eWEEK: What can we look for with regard to acquisitions?

      Tucci: Were looking at companies the size of FilePool [NV, which created the Centera technology and was acquired last year] and at ones that are bigger. Well continue to be fairly highly acquisitive.

      eWEEK: That sounds like, say, four or five companies per year.

      Tucci: Thats what weve been doing, and I dont see our pace falling off.

      eWEEK: Primarily software companies?

      Tucci: My highest interest is in software companies. Priorities 1, 2 and 3 are software.

      eWEEK: Theres a virtualization product reported to be in the EMC pipeline. Where is it now?

      Tucci: Virtualization is a buzzword, but what were working on has to do with multiple applications, multiple servers and multiple platforms from different vendors. We hinted it would be out this year. It was on our road map. I think the industry expects that product this year, and we have a history of not disappointing the industry.

      eWEEK: Hitachi, according to your patent infringement suit, is copying. Are you content that youll be able to thwart them from copying?

      Tucci: Hitachi has been caught at copying more than any technology company in the world. Now they are partnering with IBM, but before that, IBM sued them many times. We tried for four years to negotiate something. They led us on with absolutely no progress. So we said, “Youve infringed our patents and stolen our intellectual property, so well let a court decide.” Were not into filing frivolous lawsuits.

      Related stories

      • Hitachi Counters EMC Claims
      • EMC: Hitachi Infringed on Patents
      • EMC Moves Ahead on Storage Management Plans
      • EMC Bulks Up NAS Line
      • EMC Unveils Automated Information Storage Strategy
      eWEEK EDITORS
      eWeek editors publish top thought leaders and leading experts in emerging technology across a wide variety of Enterprise B2B sectors. Our focus is providing actionable information for today’s technology decision makers.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×