BELL MICRO & PILLAR DATA SYSTEMS ANNOUNCE UK PARTNERSHIP

Visit Pillar Data Systems at Storage Expo, Stand 440

Storage Expo, Olympia, London. 15th October 2008 - Specialist value-added distributor Bell Micro today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Pillar Data Systems, a leading provider of application aware storage systems (www.pillardata.co.uk). The agreement will see the two companies build upon an existing relationship in the US to extend the Pillar Axiom storage solution to Bell Micro's reseller partners here in the UK

The partnership will provide Bell Micro's reseller base with the opportunity to offer customers a highly scalable application aware data storage solution optimised for Oracle, Virtualisation or email management environments. Pillar Data Systems, in turn, will be able to leverage Bell Micro's installed partner base, enterprise storage skills and partner services to expand its rapidly growing business throughout the UK.

'We have chosen to partner with Bell Micro as a result of the company's reputation in the market and its focus on further developing its Enterprise storage portfolio,' said Chris Jones, VP EMEA at Pillar Data Systems. 'With Bell Micro as a key partner we are looking to recruit a small number of highly motivated and professional resellers that can benefit, not just from our growing pipeline and great install base but also from the promise of future healthy reseller margins and services revenue.'

Both Bell Micro and Pillar Data Systems have commenced a partner recruitment and development plan, with Pillar's Registered Service Provider Program being a significant value add for all interested resellers.

'With the Pillar Axiom solution, Pillar Data Systems is an innovative fit for our Enterprise storage division. The agreement broadens Bell Micro's Enterprise storage portfolio and gives our partners and their customers access to a storage solution which reduces data centre operational costs and delivers utilisation rates double the industry average,' added Richard Carpenter, European General Manager, Enterprise Storage Division at Bell Micro. 'Organisations of all sizes are increasingly focused on understanding the value of data, yet still require advice and guidance. With this in mind, Bell Micro will be working with Pillar Data Systems to ensure reseller partners are educated on approaches to managed storage, as well as understanding how best to deliver these new solutions.'

Notes to Editors

About Pillar Data Systems
Founded in 2001, Pillar Data Systems develops Application-Aware Storage systems for midsize and enterprise organisations. With the highest utilisation rates in the storage industry, the Pillar Axiom solution is the most efficient storage system on the market today. The Pillar Axiom cuts administrative time and total cost of ownership by more than 50 percent as well as provides the only storage system that can differentiate services based on application priority. Designed from the ground up as the only true Application-Aware Storage system, the Pillar Axiom allows users to match multiple application characteristics to the appropriate service levels within a single storage platform.

Pillar Data Systems is privately funded by Tako Ventures, LLC, the venture arm of Larry Ellison. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California with a development office in Longmont, Colorado. The EMEA headquarters is in Drogheda near Dublin, with initial operations across Ireland, UK, Germany and France.