Lakeview Targets Vision and iTera Customers Following Merger

Published: November 21, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Following the merger of iTera and Vision Solutions to create an OS/400 high availability powerhouse, Lakeview Technology, by many accounts the strongest OS/400 high availability provider before the merger, has launched its Safe Passage program to draw customers away from iTera and Vision, and toward Lakeview's flagship MIMIX solution.

The OS/400 high availability market was a dog-eat-dog market before the merger of one-time foes iTera and Vision, and that intense competitiveness continues following the merger. To that end, Lakeview is trying to make the most out of any uncertainties arising as a result of the merger.

Leading the charge for Lakeview is Ed Vesely, vice president of worldwide marketing for the privately held Chicago software company. "Vision's Web site admits there will be some product elimination, and that's a serious issue for customers who are committed to protecting their production systems," Vesely says in a statement released by the company recently. "Who would purchase their software under these circumstances?"

Lakeview's Safe Passage program doesn't carry any discounts or special offers for Vision or iTera customers (although there is rarely a time when there aren't some HA-related discounts for i5/OS customers). Instead, Lakeview is betting that the name recognition of the MIMIX product line, the 15 years of experience in the space, and its close working relationship with IBM Rochester will convince iTera's Echo2 and Vision's Orion customers to pick up and move to Lakeview.

Lakeview is in it for the long haul. "We expect there will be struggles within the merged entity for months, if not years," Vesely says. "The Safe Passage Program helps customers avoid this pain and uncertainty."

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