Peer Software develops data storage solutions that address the unique challenges related to data migration, backup, replication, and collaboration in a WAN environment. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Peer Software CEO Jimmy Tam to learn more about the company.
Jimmy Tam’s Background
What is Tam’s background? Tam said:
“As unorthodox as it sounds, I started my career as a tax accountant and pivoted to the tech industry in the mid-1990s during the internet boom. After a few start-ups, I collaborated with a former executive from Citrix to establish a consulting firm tailored to the needs of tech enterprises, specializing in delivering comprehensive go-to-market sales and marketing strategies as well as product development guidance. This endeavor provided invaluable insights into the intricate dynamics of successful enterprises, both from financial and corporate cultural perspectives.”
“Among our clientele was Peer Software, an association that ultimately led to my transition from the consulting realm to joining the team at Peer to originally focus on building the sales and marketing organizations. Over the years, my duties expanded as the company grew, culminating in my appointment as CEO in 2015. My affinity for sales remains today, and I continue to actively engage in refining and nurturing our sales ecosystem, an area I find professionally fulfilling to this day.”
“As CEO, my primary responsibilities center around developing and implementing the company’s strategy, vision, and mission as well as fostering a culture of collaboration and cultivating a cohesive team environment in pursuit of our shared goals. Our track record speaks volumes, with the average tenure of Peer employees exceeding ten years—a testament to our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering longevity within our organization.”
“Listening to our customers is paramount in my role, as I collaborate closely with our product team to develop solutions that streamline file management and orchestration processes. With thirty years of experience, our mission remains steadfast: to simplify the increasingly complex landscape of storage infrastructure choices facing businesses today.”
“In an era where IT administrators are tasked with architecting, building, and operating resilient, 24/7 global operations while also seeking to enhance flexibility and agility in their technology ecosystems, Peer Software steps in to provide comprehensive solutions. We alleviate the burden of this challenge by delivering tailored products and services that empower our clients to navigate and optimize their technology choices with ease.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Tam reflected:
“My favorite memory isn’t tied to any specific moment but rather to the ongoing interactions with our loyal customers, many of whom have been with us for more than a decade. Serving our customers and witnessing their satisfaction over the years is truly meaningful to me.”
“Additionally, I cherish the opportunities to reconnect with former members of the Peer team over dinner. It’s inspiring to see how their experiences with us have influenced their career paths. As CEO, I see myself as a coach for our team members, supporting them in their professional journeys. I encourage exploration of new opportunities for career advancement, even if it means leaving Peer.”
“It’s heartening to know that some individuals have returned to our company after pursuing other endeavors. These moments of reconnection serve as a reminder of the lasting impact of our work and the strength of our bonds within the Peer community.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Tam explained:
“PeerGFS is our enterprise-class software solution that enables companies to create a modern distributed file system that seamlessly integrates existing file and object storage systems.”
“Using an Active-Active data services fabric, PeerGFS facilitates faster file access performance with local access to global data, high availability and redundancy across synchronized storage systems, and continuous data protection. Peer’s Global File Service improves productivity and availability throughout the enterprise – from the edge to the data center to the cloud.”
“PeerIQ is our virtual appliance that contains a dashboard and analytics environment that offers tools for monitoring the health and performance of PeerGFS, Peer’s Global File Service, as well as gaining deeper insights into an organization’s file storage environment. With PeerIQ, organizations can obtain actionable insights to make informed decisions based on file system trends and optimize ROI on storage investments. It’s an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to leverage storage analytics for strategic advantage.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges has Tam faced in building the company? Tam acknowledged:
“My biggest challenge consistently revolves around ensuring the cultivation of a cohesive team, unified in both culture and dedication to exceptional customer service. Building and nurturing a team of exceptional individuals within a flat organizational structure remains my paramount concern and daily challenge.”
“To address this challenge, I prioritize accessibility, making myself readily available to all members of the organization. Throughout the year, I actively engage with our product, marketing, and sales teams, traveling the globe to maintain direct involvement in our operations. It’s imperative that my managers are fully aligned with our organizational culture and vision, as any deviation could potentially manifest as breakdowns in service delivery visible to our valued customers and partners.”
“Effective communication lies at the heart of overcoming this challenge, ensuring that expectations are not only met but exceeded, both internally within our team and externally with our customers. By fostering a culture of open dialogue and alignment with our collective goals, we can navigate this challenge and continue to deliver unparalleled value to those we serve.”
Evolution Of Peer Software’s Technology
How has Peer Software’s technology evolved since launching? Tam noted:
“The data backup and storage industry has witnessed significant evolution since the days of floppy disks, driven by technological advancements, evolving data storage needs, and shifts in computing paradigms. From the era of physical storage media like floppy disks, the industry has transitioned to sophisticated, cloud-based solutions that offer scalability, flexibility, and advanced security features.”
“Moreover, the focus has moved beyond mere storage and backup to ensuring accessibility and performance, particularly as data volumes have skyrocketed. This shift is also influenced by the increasingly globalized workforce, with the expansion of remote offices.”
“At Peer Software, we have adapted to these changes by enhancing our support for performance at scale. We’re now dealing not just with millions but billions of files. Furthermore, with the introduction of PeerIQ, we’ve advanced beyond simply orchestrating data movement but also to analyze it, reflecting our commitment to innovation and meeting the evolving needs of our customers.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Tam cited:
“Our company’s biggest milestones aren’t measured solely by metrics like customer count, revenue, or office expansions. Instead, I find significance in celebrating the enduring relationships we’ve built with both our team members and customers.”
“One of our most significant achievements is the milestone of thirty years in business, a testament to our resilience and commitment to excellence. What sets us apart is our ability to sustain profitability since the very beginning, all without relying on external financing.”
“Our consistent success speaks volumes about the strength of our company culture, the dedication of our team, and the trust our customers have placed in us over the years. It’s a milestone that truly encapsulates the essence of our journey and the values I hold important.”
Customer Success Stories
After asking Tam about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“Chen Moore and Associates (CMA), a firm that specializes in civil engineering, water resources and irrigation, environmental and construction engineering services, is using PeerGFS to simplify file management and increase productivity for distributed teams.”
“PeerGFS provides Chen Moore’s team, made up of CAD users, with fast, local access to shared project files while ensuring critical file transfer systems are always on and that employees, customers, and business partners experience seamless availability of applications and information through any planned or unplanned outage.”
“Another customer, The Keystone Group, is the UK’s largest steel lintel manufacturer and Europe’s fastest-growing roof window manufacturer. With a distributed workforce, seamless access to critical services is essential. To upgrade their legacy virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) for engineers, they adopted PeerGFS. This decision aimed to provide every engineer with more effective workstations, enhancing responsiveness and performance. Additionally, to address slow access to centrally stored user files impacting productivity, Keystone Lintels implemented PeerGFS, enabling local file access to global data for engineers in remote sites.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Tam affirmed:
“Peer’s main differentiating factors are twofold. First and foremost, PeerGFS allows for the creation of a modern distributed file system across multi-site, mixed-storage, hybrid, and multi-cloud storage environments. Our customers can mix and match any combination of Windows, NetApp, Dell EMC, and Nutanix storage systems as well as with cloud storage systems in Azure, AWS, or Google. Unlike our competitors, we do not provide a proprietary storage system that locks in the customer.”
“Second, Peer’s strength of capabilities lies in our real-time file activity monitoring (i.e. API) integrations with our storage partners that allow for real-time asynchronous replication across distributed storage sites. This facilitates an active-active relationship across multi-master distributed file systems to enable local access to global data as well as for automated failover and failback for continuous data availability. These integrations also help power the collection of file system data points that drive our analytics capabilities that span heterogeneous storage environments.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Tam concluded:
“The company’s future goals include developing innovative product features focused on analytics and cyber-resilience to enhance data protection and security measures. Additionally, we plan to strengthen our capabilities for global follow-the-sun teams, especially in areas like real-time file collaboration aimed at improving content delivery and user experience for the Media and Entertainment industry, as well as tackling the increasingly complex needs of remote home workers. Furthermore, we are working on advancements in the financial sector, potentially introducing new solutions or features to address specific needs within this industry. Overall, the focus is on expanding product offerings and capabilities across various sectors to meet the evolving demands of customers and stay at the forefront of technological innovation.”
