As one chapter closes, a new one begins for Deni Connor

For 10 years, I was one of many who read what Deni Connor wrote regularly for Network World.  She was always one of, if not the first, to break major news items from many of the leading storage industry players. In fact, rumor has it that some of the PR community avoided briefing her in advance for fear she'd scoop the news. Still, Deni persevered and always had relevant insight and perspective on the technologies and trends customers cared about most.  She developed an impressive Rolodex and many, including me, were fortunate to work with Deni for many years.

As the media community continues to change and evolve, and print publications look for ways to differentiate themselves from online media outlets, Deni decided now is as good a time as any to take her passion for reporting on the latest storage and datacenter technologies and trends, to analyzing them.

This week, Deni officially announced the formation of her new analyst firm, Storage Strategies Now.  In an email announcing the new firm, Deni explained that she will now "apply knowledge acquired during my 25-year career working with technology firms and publications, to provide expertise in the services of strategic analysis."

I'm sure Deni will bring the same passion and enthusiasm to the latest technologies and trends impacting storage and the datacenter today as she did as a senior editor at Network World.  For those of us that enjoyed reading her byline on Network World, we'll still be able to read it each week as she writes the Storage Alert Newsletter.

Perhaps John Dix, editor-in-chief at Network World, summed it up best in a quote Deni highlighted in her e-mail announcement...

"Deni is fearless. As a reporter, she never failed to objectively cover the prickliest issues.  As an analyst, we expect her to be one of the best."