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QUANTUM STO SOLUTIONS GROUP REINFORCES COMMITMENT TO CHANNEL

Quantum Corp, a leading provider of data protection systems, announced recently that it is building upon its commitment to channel partners through key enhancements to its Quantum Academy partner program. The new program benefits, designed to increase partner sales and profitability, were unveiled at Quantum's Executive Summit, an intensive and educational conference for top storage channel executives. The Quantum Academy program enhancements and channel education, along with the results of a blind study of solution providers through an industry-recognized research company, validates Quantum's channel focus and efforts. Results show that Quantum is considered to be an industry leader through its vendor programs and the best automation manufacturer to resell.

Quantum Academy is designed to offer channel partners a single comprehensive program for online training, technology and marketing information with timely and focused program enhancements, which give partners the tools to be successful and allow Quantum to be the company that is easiest for partners to do business with.

"A major factor contributing to our success is partnering with vendors who value a close relationship with channel partners," said Kent Kellough, vice president of western region sales of Advanced Systems Group. "Quantum Academy's programs are put together in a way that provides sales and marketing assistance, including valuable leads, which results in happier customers and more closed sales."

Quantum Academy programs and benefits are maintained and enhanced through regular communication with its channel partners and through active use of independent research and blind studies, such as the results of the latest channel research conducted by industry-recognized Zanthus Research.

Quantum Academy enhancements include:

• Quantum Connect: an integrated suite of online services including 24x7 online training courses that provide progressive learning for sales-people and technicians, quick web links to the most popular Quantum sites, and a wizard-based product configuration tool for quotes and online ordering.
• Enhanced Margins: multiple enhancements to partners' bottom lines including a revised discount structure, backend performance rebates for channel partners who meet revenue and non-revenue goals, and a simplified incentive program.
• Sales and Marketing Support: tools to help generate and close sales including a revised trade-in program to reflect new products and industry-leading discounts, assistance in preparing proposals, joint business plan development, print and e-marketing campaigns, and new launch kits.

Quantum Educates Top Executives At Channel Summit

Quantum's Executive Summit was held in La Quinta, Calif., as an intensive multi-day forum, designed to provide details on these latest program and newest product offerings, and gather feedback through interactive breakout sessions, which will be used to focus future efforts on continued program refinements. The programs included presentations from Quantum executives and storage industry experts as well as facilitated breakout sessions.

"Quantum's Executive Summit is a prime example of the commitment it has made in supporting its channel partners," said John Zammett, president of Horizontek. "It is obvious from the emphasis on open communication and its continued program developments that Quantum has raised the bar as a trusted automation vendor."

In-depth Channel Partner Research Validates Quantum Momentum

Proof of Quantum's strides in its relationship-based partnership within the channel is supported by the recent completion of a blind study through Zanthus. The research focused on more than 100 North American storage solutions providers. In this research, solutions providers indicated that Quantum has the best partner program among automation manufacturers and Quantum is the best overall automation manufacturer to resell.

"As a channel-focused company, our goal is to be the easiest vendor partner to do business with, and the results we received from Zanthus Research's recent studies prove that we are definitely on the right track," said Jim Simon, director of channel marketing of Quantum's Storage Solutions Group. "While these research results are positive validation, Quantum will continue its work to provide channel partners with the best possible support and service."

Quantum Academy features three member levels based on sales volumes and network storage competencies: Enterprise Solution Partner, Premier Partner and Registered Reseller. Member benefits include dedicated account management, joint sales and marketing activities, incentive programs, discounts, rebates, deal protection, training, lead generation, sales tools and access to a reseller-only web site.

About Quantum

Quantum Corp, founded in 1980, is a global leader in data protection, meeting the needs of business customers with enterprise-wide storage solutions and services. Quantum is the world's largest supplier of tape drives, and its DLTtape technology is the standard for backup, archiving, and recovery of mission-critical data. Quantum is also a leader in the design, manufacture and service of automated tape libraries used to manage, store and transfer data. This year, the company expanded into the area of disk-based backup, with a solution that emulates a tape library and is optimized for data protection. Quantum sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2002, were approximately $1.1 billion. Quantum Corp, 501 Sycamore Dr, Milpitas, CA 95035, 408-944-4000, www.quantum.com.

Contact: Sean Lamb of Quantum Corporation, 408-944-6727, or sean.lamb@quantum.com.