What the first thought that comes to mind when you hear the words "Beta testing"? Information Systems,

probably not, most people think of our external customers first. Information Systems would like to

change that. IS has been providing an internal Beta testing service for about ten years. The internal beta

test program began with early products like the 4410 Automatic Cartridge System and has continued

providing feedback on newer products such as Iceberg and SN6000.

Business groups with new products that are ready to start external testing should contact IS and let

Storagetek’s data center be the first customer test site. "Treat us just like any other customer. We’re

interested in what the product has to offer us," says Deb Saret of IS. Bring IS the current test plans, that

would normally be provided to an external customer, and let the tests begin. Environments available for

testing include OS 390, Sun Solaris, HPUX, Win/NT 2000, Mainframes and Open Systems. Once testing

is complete IS will provide a detailed impartial report to the business group. The final report will include

data pertaining to:

    • Compatibility testing with a variety of hardware and software products.

    • Significant benefits and/or issues

    • Information to help Marketing establish product advantages for various market segments.

While internal Beta Testing has been around for quite sometime Computing Services (part Information

Systems) instituted the Preliminary Customer Assessment (PCA) analysis early in 2000. The PCA

analysis should be conducted during the idea stage of product development (well before beta testing).

This analysis is intended to help determine the value a new product idea will offer in a real customer

setting. It also provides a broad overview of the products being developed in different organizations

including information on potentially competitive products within Storagetek. To date about 15 PCA’s

have been completed by IS.

Here’s how it works. The business group proposing the product contacts IS and sets up a presentation

date. IS solicits the appropriate business and technical personnel for the presentation, including; but not

limited to Network Systems, Open Systems, and Mainframes. The business group presents the idea

including business (financial), architecture, and value aspects, with an emphasis on how the product will

fit in the StorageTek data-center.

Within approximately two weeks (depending on schedule) IS will provide the business group with an

unbiased written review of the presentation. Key elements of the review include:

    • How IS thinks the product would fit in the data center.

    • Potential financial savings

    • Integration with other products to provide additional efficiencies.

    • Value proposition (benefits of usage)

    • Financial justification

PCA should be initiated during the idea phase of the Program Management Process and can be scheduled

by anyone on the Project team. To set up a presentation contact the IS Beta Test Manager, Deb Saret, at

(303) 673-3109.

Beta testing should begin when the product is ready to go through External Product Evaluation (EPE) and

Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) is complete. IS recommends that initial customer testing begin in