Two “Big Deals” – EMC Architect Tool, and a HUGE new way to get EMC software.

On last week’s “Speaking in Tech” episode (it’s one of my favorite podcasts – sometimes silly, sometimes insightful, but always fun – subscribe here), Greg asked me what is going on in my gig – and I mentioned that I was learning (“hand over fist”) about trying to help and guide a large org.

Someone once told me that it’s always more powerful to “show people something awesome” rather than trying to constrain them or even “direct” them.    When people see things that are cool, and just “right”, they then pick it up, run with it – and even better – start to iterate themselves (and make it even better!)…

So with that – here are two awesome things!

1.  The EMC Architect Tool is in the Apple iTunes store!

What is this thing?  Well, it’s a simple tool to use on your iPad as a customer, a partner, or an EMCer to quickly sketch out architectures.   It’s got a rich template of icons/images, and even templated solutions that exist.   Get it here!

If you are an EMC SE (and I’m working to open this service up to partners), if you open up a Salesforce.com case for “Technical Drawings”, and attach your EMC Architect drawing, the awesome team behind the shared services group will get it back to you in PPT or Visio form.   Simple, easy, fun.   Go to town, and as always – feedback welcome!

2.  HUGE NEWS.   A whole new way to get EMC software.

I’ve been pushing HARD behind the scenes on this topic for the last couple of years.   I think all our software/virtual appliances should be available for simple download.  For everyone.  With no “speed bumps” or “secret handshakes”.   With no timebomb.  With no limits.   I’ve argued passionately on this topic with everyone I could find.  I’ve beat my head against many walls – but I have a hard noggin :-)  

Of course – in this “no limts” fashion – with a cost of exactly ZERO, it is of course for non-production use.   It comes with only best effort community support.  

Look – we have NOT been great on this topic of software access in the past.  Powerlink kinda sucks (and is being retired – content is all moving to www.emc.com and support.emc.com) .   A lot of the virtual appliances (and they are awesome) are carefully guarded.  Where they exist publicly – to date, I’ve only been able to push far enough that they get out, but in some “dumbed down” way (or in vLab – which itself is also awesome)

In my experience, customers are smart.  They know what software for “not for production use” means.   They know that if they dig something – and need it supported (i.e. are using it in production), they will pay for it – and do so happily.   Furthermore, as we become more and more of a “software company” every day – we have to nail this – not just in VMware, and in Pivotal (who were “born” as software companies), but in EMC Information Infrastructure (the storage, backup and security part of EMC).

So, I enlisted a great ally in this sort of “big cultural change” kind of thing… Jeremy Burton.  

He and I made it a mission to have the EMC ViPR controller available in that sort of way before the end of January.   Nicolas Rodet, Cecile Rocheteau, on John Conway’s team burned the midnight oil – and with the incredible support of the EMC Advanced Software Division (ASD), it’s now here (www.emc.com/getvipr – pretty easy!).  

Download.  Play.  Discuss.  Learn.  Contribute.

And, get this…  When you download, we leave you alone :-)   Yes, we note that your emc.com account downloaded the stuff, but it gets routed to the inside SE team (not the inside sales team), so the followup is “hey, did you get it working alright”, not “can I sell you something!”.

On the page, if you DO want to talk to sales, there is a thing very unobtrusively on the SIDE that can pop out – but if YOU want it.

When you click on the download link, you get the bits, and then immediately get forwarded to the community.

I’ll say it again, this is not a demo.   There is no limit, no timebomb.   The click-wrap only limits the use to non-production.

I think that people will see how easy this is – it could be come the way we do everything.  I think Jeremy and I (and more importantly, EMC and our partners and customers!) will have success in getting the software version of VPLEX, Recoverpoint, ScaleIO, the Data Domain and Isilon VSAs, the ViPR data services – heck, EVERYTHING up in this way.

So… What DO YOU THINK?  Are we on the right track?   Did you download the ViPR bits – and did you contribute to the community?

Comments

[Tim]

I think this approach is brilliant, and much needed. Hopefully someone within VMware is working towards this same initiative.

[Matthew Leib]

This will be an amazing facilitator for both customers and partners alike. Great work to you guys!

[Daniel Boesch]

I think that's exactly the way we should go. Could make the life of an SE much easier, since our products sell themselves... :) Thanks for fighting for this!

[Robert Soeting]

Hi,

Really, really, really happy with EMC releasing a 'test' version to the field. Have been bugging my resources to get me a demo key for a while.
Currently testing in my test setup. And hopefully I can get some funding asap to get this started in production. As this is the way to go for us. Is there any way to publish a small roadmap on when more releases of devices will be supported?

Robert

[Michael White]

I am impressed with the Architect. Would be nice to see more VMware stuff in it. Only one shape so far.

Thanks again for this great tool!

Michael

[Nick standke]

Is there any plan for an android version of the architect app?

[Will]

Any idea when Architect is coming to Android? Or Windows?

[Andriven]

Partner access soon for EMC Architect? :-)

[Kyle]

A little late to post, however this is absolutely the best way to increase emc market share. Seasoned admins appreciate good software and *will* purchase amazing products, allowing them to easily try what is on offer is a no brainer.

[Steph Torres]

Any ideas on when the EMC Architect App may be available for macbooks or standard laptops?