Hitachi Data Systems

China Product


Corporate history

The current Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) was founded in 1989 when Hitachi and Electronic Data Systems (EDS) acquired National Advanced Systems (NAS) from National Semiconductor and renamed it Hitachi Data Systems. But before that company had a history that stretched back to Itel, an early player in the mainframe market. Itel Computer Products Group sold National Semiconductors IBM compatible mainframes, and in 1979 National Semiconductor took it over and formed National Advanced Systems (NAS). NAS shifted from manufacturing mainframes and began marketing systems from Hitachi. Then, in 1999, Hitachi bought out EDS share, and HDS became a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi. For many years, HDS sold both Hitachi IBM-compatible mainframes and storage systems, but in 1998 exited the mainframe business and shifted its focus to enterprise storage.

Itel was an equipment leasing company founded in 1967 by Peter Redfield and Gary Friedman, initially focusing on leasing IBM mainframes. Through creative financial arrangements and investments, Itel was able to lease IBM mainframes to customers at costs below what customers would have paid IBM, making them the second to IBM itself in revenues due to leasing of IBM mainframes. a19 light bulb

A joint venture between National Semiconductor and Hitachi formed in 1977 was contracted by Itel to manufacture IBM-compatible mainframes branded as Advanced Systems. In the face of initial success of having shipped 200 such systems and netting profits of $73 million, Itel had increased their investments and personnel to market their Advanced Systems brand and hence committed themselves to long term contracts with National Semiconductor and Hitachi. While Itel had not expected quick change in semiconductor technologies, Charlie Sporck, CEO of National Semiconductor, saw opportunities by tempting Itel to longer term commitments in response to request by Itel for lower prices in order to compete with IBM. Itel succumbed to commitment. neon undercar kits

Thereafter, news was abound that IBM was releasing a new technologically superior line of computers, to which customers responded by holding back purchases causing Itel's inventory to build up drastically. Even though Hitachi had agreed to Itel's request to cut back on shipment, National Semiconductor was adamant in implementing what the industry had termed as National's blackmailing of Itel. In 1979, Redfield was forced to resign as CEO, and National Semiconductor took over the whole of Itel Advanced Systems, including its sales and marketing team. budweiser neon lights

National renamed the division to National Advanced Systems (NAS), assembling and selling IBM-compatibles where the CPU was imported from Hitachi. National and Hitachi quite often depended on IBM's gradual and restrained roll-out of newer models to feed on IBM's technology and market share and hence NAS enjoyed occasional successes.

However, IBM had invested and obtained significant success in semiconductor technologies which enabled them to build more powerful computers at lower costs. They were also introducing the Unix operating system gradually into their computers. IBM had also introduced the Personal Computer. By 1985, competing technologies from Honeywell, Prime, NCR and Control Data were gradually being forced off the mainframe market. NAS, as well as Amdahl (the other IBM-compatible mainframe maker) was no exception to facing the technological and sales pressure from IBM.

In 1983, National Semiconductor and its subsidiary NAS was sued by IBM for $2.5 billion on charges of using computer technology stolen from IBM, as result of investigation by the United States Government into National's collaboration with Hitachi engaging in industrial espionage to obtained technology secrets from IBM, a case which illustrated the effects of desperation the onslaught of IBM technology had on its competitors.

On February 28, 1989, National Semiconductor and Hitachi announced their agreement that Hitachi and EDS would jointly acquire NAS for $398 million in cash , of which Hitachi would own 80%. Memorex Telex and National had earlier, on January 10, 1989, announced plans on a joint venture "under which each company would own half of the unit and National would get $250 million plus four million shares of Memorex Telex". However, National proceeded to negotiate with Hitachi after Memorex's offer expired as National had felt that the Hitachi-EDS offer was a better deal as it entailed no further financial obligation or commitment on the part of National after the sale besides reaping a pre-tax profit of $200 million from the sale. By that time, Memorex Telex was able to arrange financing for the deal, but National had already accepted the Hitachi-EDS deal.

The acquisition was envisaged to provide Hitachi a better presence in the United States to compete with IBM. The entity was renamed Hitachi Data Systems.

Corporate affairs

The company has its corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California and has business offices in the United States, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Products and services

Partial list of hardware products

Universal Storage Platform. The Hitachi Universal Storage Platform (USP-V & USP-VM) family is HDS high-end storage platform focused on consolidation for enterprise storage needs, including virtualization of internal and external heterogeneous into one pool.

USP-V / USP-VM products are also OEMed and resold by Sun Microsystems as its Sun StorageTek 9990V & 9985V Systems , and by HP as its HP StorageWorks XP 24000 / XP 20000 Systems

Adaptable Modular Storage. The Hitachi Adaptable Modular Storage 2000 line is designed for fault tolerant mission critical storage needs and uses a symmetric active-active controller architecture.

Hitachi High-performance NAS (HNAS). The Hitachi High-performance NAS line offers best-in-class performance and scalability, Intelligent Tiering with dynamic data migration (Hierarchical storage management), and Cluster Namespace (CNS) for unified file administration.

Technology Partners

Hitachi Data Systems has three types of partners: Solution, Technology and Developer.

Partners include:

Abrevity

Agfa

Akorri

Alero

Applimation

APTARE

Arkivio

Atempo

BlueArc

Brocade

BusTech

CA, Inc.

CaminoSoft Corp

Carestream Health

Ceyoniq

Ciena Corporation

Cisco

COI

CommVault

Configuresoft, Inc.

Continuity Software

Crossroads Systems

CSP

Cyberdigm

DecaSoft

Diligent

Dream Security

EASY SOFTWARE

Emulex

Enigma Data Solutions

FileTek

For The Record

Fujifilm

Gwava

Hewlett-Packard

IBM

Incipient, Inc.

Index Engines

Innovation Data Processing

Intellitactics, Inc

Intense Technologies Limited

Intercom

Kazeon

Kraftway

Laserfiche

Mawell

Message Gate

Messaging Architects

Microsoft

Mimosa Systems

Mobius (an ASG Company)

Moonwalk

NDMA

Newgen

Nice

Nikoyo

North King Technology

Open Text Corporation

Optimal Systems

Oracle Corporation

Princeton Softech

Procedo

Qlogic

QStar Technologies Inc.

Redwood Software

Sanpulse

SAP AG

SenSage

Seven Ten Storage

Softnext

Solix

STAR STORAGE

StoredIQ

Sun Microsystems

Surety

Symantec

TeamQuest

Tek-Tools

TERASYSTEM

Torpedo

Union Information Systems

Verint Systems

Verismart

Visus

VMware

Windfire System

ZANTAZ

ZipLip

Zoral

References

^ "Hitachi Data Systems Corporation Company Profile". Yahoo Financel accessdate=2009-01-21. http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/103/103884.html. 

^ "Microsoft Solutions Partners". Microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/virtualization/partner-profile-hitachi.mspx. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 

^ "Vendor profile: Hustling Hitachi Data Systems has EMC in its sights". Computerworld Storage Network World Online. http://www.snwonline.com/voice/hustling_hitachi_02-10-2003.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 

^ "National Semiconductor Corporation". Funding Universe. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/National-Semiconductor-Corporation-Company-History.html. 

^ "Sierra Adds Power to I.B.M". The New York Times. February 13, 1985. 

^ AP (November 16, 1983). "I.B.M. SUIT MAY ASK $2.5 BILLION". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/16/business/ibm-suit-may-ask-2.5-billion.html. 

^ Peter Carey (May 22, 1983). "The selling of IBM secrets". Boca Raton News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19830522&id=yTMQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1IwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7268,6364925. 

^ LAWRENCE M. FISHER (February 28, 1989). "Partners Buy A Computer Subsidiary". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/28/business/partners-buy-a-computer-subsidiary.html. 

^ "Hitachi Data Systems Corporation". Business Week. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=1006425. Retrieved 2008-04-17. 

^ "Hitachi Universal Storage Plaform V". Hitachi Data Systems. http://www.hds.com/products/storage-systems/universal-storage-platform-v.html. Retrieved 2008-04-17. 

^ "Sun Microsystem's website product page". Sun Microsystems. http://www.sun.com/storage/disk_systems/data_center/9990v/. Retrieved 2009-10-19. 

^ "Vendor profile: Hustling Hitachi Data Systems has EMC in its sights". Computerworld Storage Network World Online. http://www.snwonline.com/voice/hustling_hitachi_02-10-2003.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 

^ "Hitachi AMS family overview". Hitachi Data Systems. http://www.hds.com/assets/pdf/hitachi-ams-2000-family-overview.pdf. Retrieved 2008-04-17. 

^ "Hitachi NAS platform overview". Hitachi Data Systems. http://www.hds.com/products/storage-systems/network-attached-storage/hitachi-high-performance-nas-platform.html. Retrieved 2009-07-30. 

^ Hitachi Web site. DS Partners. Retrieved September 11, 2009.

See also

National Semiconductor

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hitachi Hard disks

Hitachi Data Systems Home Page

Hitachi Data Systems Blogs

Hitachi Data Systems Forums Home Page

Itel Corporation Company History

IEEE Annals January-March 2005 (vol. 27 no. 1), The Rise and Fall of Plug-Compatible Mainframes

Categories: Computer companies of the United States