EMC views reducing complexity in its technologies as one of its major challenges for the future.
As such, it is looking to management tools to improve its product line, according to two company executives.
In an interview with IT PRO, Rich Napolitano, senior vice president of EMC's information storage business, said: "One of our biggest challenges is how do you take out cost and complexity? Building this into technology, using tools and software to reduce it in technology is a major trend right now."
Napolitano specifically mentioned the need to simplify the migration of data as people move into a virtualised environment.
He said: "We want to move away from the data path to the evolution of managing that migration. There are benefits to having data held externally but the storage move can be complex."
Peter Thayer, senior director of product marketing at the storage division also sees complexity as an issue.
He told IT PRO: "Other trends in storage include implementing tiered storage for more availability and more options around flash drives and IOP performance. Customers can see the economic benefits but we need to take out the complexity. What is missing is robust management tools."
Both executives confirmed users would be seeing more additions of management tools to its lines in the future focused across all of its platforms.
There was also a glimmer of hope for the economy from the pair as well, although they were unwilling to make formal predictions.
Thayer said: "There is an increase in conversations with customers that has shown us they are still spending. We are starting to see green shoots in the economy but customers are spending to, in turn, save money."
Napolitano continued: "Since our conference (in May) we have seen signs where we can draw the conclusion that things are getting better, or less worse at least. It does feel better however with more and more interest from our customers."
"The strong do better in these difficult economic times and we took that time to refresh our products."
