As the data stream swells to a river, IT managers are faced with a dilemma: Where to put all the information? The answer is data storage, and Princeton-based archive firm Princeton Softech has plenty of room. The company uses a technique called "active archiving" to keep files handy yet neatly stored. CEO Lisa Cash talks about platforms, managing data, and how good storage means never having to say you're sorry.
How did Princeton Softech get started?
Princeton Softech is a different company today from the one founded in 1989. When I came on board in 1998, its chief focus was Y2K, a market with an obviously limited life expectancy. The challenge was to transition into a company that focused on a profitable product line with consistent growth potential. Based on market reaction to our active archiving solutions, we believed that these products would distinguish us. During this re-engineering phase, we sold off or retired several other product lines, and focused on our tools for the archive market.
How has the current economic climate affected the company?
Very positively. The sluggish economy and its impact on IT budgets have forced CIOs to look at doing business differently. Active archiving offers them a new way of addressing their data growth. However, the economy has also made closing deals more challenging, which is where the ROI of our archiving products gives us an advantage.
It seems that there are many companies focused on data storage right now; how does the company distinguish itself?
In two important ways. First, our expertise is in managing mission critical data as it's used in a production relational databases--not merely as bytes and files. Second, we are a platform-neutral provider that understands how different types of applications are used in the enterprise. It doesn't matter what the application is, what the database is, or what the platform is, we have the ability to store data more effectively.
What kinds of challenges or difficulties did you find in developing these archiving solutions?
Given the complex nature of many applications, it's not easy to extract data that's relationally intact. What's more, there is an education process involved in demonstrating to potential customers why active archiving is the best choice. We conduct a workshop that demonstrates how a company can improve performance and accessibility using our solutions, allowing them to reinvest the savings in other projects.
What future directions do you see for the company?
First, I see the global 2000 implementing our solutions because they are so cost effective. Our plan is to continue developing solutions that are platform, and application-agnostic. Eventually, I see a command center that can handle the unique archiving requirements of each application, as well as execution tools that make the entire process more seamless for the IT user. I also expect that more of our revenues will come from channel partners and OEMs. That's where the growth is.
What do you like best about what Princeton Softech does?
We have a tremendous amount of pride in what we deliver--high-quality software that gives huge value to our customers and that has resulted in a 93 percent maintenance renewal rate. Our drive for quality and excellence means we never have to apologize to customers.
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