Analysts predict that storage services are expected to grow faster than the overall Indian storage market. HP is already enjoying 100 percent growth in revenues from storage services. Movinture Storage Networks, a start-up, is targeting this segment with consulting and storage services. It will design, implement and manage SANs for enterprises. It also plans to offer packaged SAN solutions for SMEs.

Ashu Joshi, angel investor and director for Product Development at Ivivity Inc, is funding Movinture India. Joshi says, “The reason why we chose to set up operations in India is due to the rapid growth expected in the Indian storage market. We see an opportunity in storage consulting and services because enterprises and end-users are confused about the storage architecture that offers them the best fit. Movinture’s strategy will be to analyse customer demand and then plan and design their storage requirement using platform-neutral and scaleable products.” He adds, “India has the advantage of not having legacy issues. We see the network storage market growing exponentially especially in storage services.”

Movinture will be offering consulting services, implement and maintain SANs for customers. In addition to this the focus would be to offer professional services like outsourcing storage requirements and disaster recovery for the enterprise segment. It also plans to cater to small and medium businesses (SMB). Rana Dutta, regional director APAC for Movinture India says, “We have a specially designed storage package for SMBs called SAN Easy that will be priced at Rs 16 lakh.” For this solution, Movinture has formed an alliance with Exabyte and Brocade to provide the hardware and software. It also has an alliance with HP.

The company plans to make inroads into the ITES, manufacturing, aviation, energy, telecom and entertainment verticals. It has signed up three contracts recently with clients in wireless, ITES and hospitality, for a wide range of services including disaster recovery, design and deployment of storage solutions. Dutta says, “By Q1 2003-04, we would be able to do business worth Rs 75-80 crore. The deals that we have signed up recently will see us go beyond the Rs 80 crore mark.” Movinture also plans to expand its operations in other APAC markets after it succeeds in India.