12 days without a post. We’ve gotten bombarded with e-mails, comments, and letters in the mail. We’ve received death threats from crazed fans, demanding we post more or else (this is an outright lie). Loyal readers are worried and have been itching for the next Seven10 post. We’ve heard you loud and clear, and will work hard to post more regularly.

We should probably address an issue that should have been mentioned earlier on: Who exactly is authoring the Seven10 blog?

In the interest of full disclosure, my name is Tim Pitta and I’m on the marketing team for Seven10. I’ve been with the company for several months now, but I’m not a storage industry veteran; I’m still soaking it all up.

In this blog, I’ll be providing my bushy-tailed, wide-eyed view of the industry. I’m coming at this from a fresh perspective, and hope you guys will join me in my quest to find meaning and truth in all that is data storage.

To ensure the blog carries substance and stimulating reading material, I’m going to enlist the help of the engineering team and executive management. Each week, you’ll hear from a Seven10 engineer, a member of executive management, and yours truly. We hope to provide technical insights, challenge your current industry beliefs, and inject a healthy dose of humor.

Be patient with us as we forge ahead with our new process, and be assured that you’ll find the quality of the blog to be top-notch.

Ten years ago in 2000, two brothers, Jim and Bobby Moulton, found themselves at the crossroads of a merger between Smart Storage and OTG Software. They were sitting on ideas that, if implemented and developed correctly, could potentially be big problem-solvers to storage customers. (Editor’s Note: For those scratching their heads about OTG software, here’s the acquisition evolution: Smart Storage to OTG Software to Legato to EMC).

In their best imitation of Jerry Maguire’s famous “I am leaving! Who’s coming with me?” scene, the brothers (along with Gary Lafreniere, passionately playing the part of Renee Zellweger) left the comfy confines of OTG to build a better company. One minor caveat – much like Jerry Maguire needed a client, the new team still needed an architect to bring their vision to life.

We have often heard that luck is a combination of preparation and timing, and while the boys might have been prepared, they never could have expected the timing of their departure to be so fortunate. At their going away party, OTG’s chief technology officer pulled the brothers aside, and expressed a deep interest in joining the new team. The CTO wanted to help turn the idea into a reality. So with a firm handshake, the architect was instantly on board.

A few days later, the World Trade Center came crashing down in New York City on September 11, 2001. Amidst tragedy and uncertainty, the brothers forged ahead. On September 13, 2001, Seven10 Storage Software, Inc. filed papers with Massachusetts and work begun on a file system called StorFirst EAS.

Technology fads would try and derail the company off its tracks – first SRM, then ILM, then virtualization. Companies of all shapes and sizes were trying to jam themselves into the category of the latest buzz word. Seven10 quietly developed their technology, remaining entirely funded on customer traction. Why would they want VC’s telling them how to run their company?

In 2009, Seven10 pulled back the curtain on their years of quiet persistence, and have begun focusing on taking the technology to market.

In 2010, the story that began in 2001 will turn the page on a new chapter. Stay tuned.