Everyone Should Backup, says Synology

Arabian Reseller speaks to Mike Chen, the Marketing Director of Synology about their portfolio of new products, their new surveillance solutions, and the activities they will initiate to further their growth in the region
What does your product roadmap look like?
On the consumer side, we will be launching new networking products with new features. On SMB side, we are coming out with a total solution for backing up and protecting data. On the enterprise side, we are coming out with a new product that features high reliability. We are also coming out with a new surveillance solution, that offers features such as live cam, time-lapse and machine learning.
What demand do you see for surveillance products in the region?
We see lots of demand for surveillance products in the region. This is because surveillance products aren’t expensive anymore and these solutions are more accessible, too. We are encouraging consumers to adopt surveillance solutions not just for offices but also for their homes. Our surveillance solutions marry our dependable storage solutions with our software ecosystem that not only comes with desktop based applications, but also cloud and mobile applications. This makes it easier for the user to manage everything seamlessly.
Are you planning to enter any new markets?
We have a healthy growth here in the Middle East and hence we are exploring more territories in the region. Companies should realise that data is the most valuable asset of your company and hence you need to protect it by backing it up into a reliable place. Backing up is the most basic thing you can do, even for homes. And our app ecosystem makes it easier for everyone to back up and share data securely. We are pushing this value proposition to consumers in various regional markets and we continue to scout for new markets to enter into.
Your operating system and the app ecosystem is the USP of your products. Have you opened up your SDK or API for third-party app developers?
Synology is a very software-defined company. We are a NAS vendor from the very beginning and top-notch software is within our DNA. We have lots of applications on our package center and our users download whatever they want to use, depending on new features they would like to add to their backup and storage setup. We also invite third-party application providers on regular basis, by giving them our SDK and toolkits to be part of our ecosystem. We have a microsite for developers, which has all the tools and technical information to get started. Our operating system, DSM, is based on open source code and hence it makes it easier for the user community and developers to bring out new innovations to the market.
Are you looking to add new channel partners to your community?
We want to build up a network of system integrators and distributors in the region. We are currently evaluating new markets to enter into. Even though we do not have a physical presence in this region yet, we continue to focus on growing our channel community here. Customers look to SIs and resellers for solutions. So if we can build up a very good pool of SIs and resellers, we can push Synology products into the markets and capitalise on the opportunities.