Top Ten Private Companies: Spring 2003

Here at last – is the all-new Byte and Switch Top Ten Private Companies list. Sorry about the delay, but it's only just stopped snowing here in New York (brrrrrrrrr) so our spring refresh is more like a late-winter pruning.

Zambeel Inc. for No. 1, then?

Well, probably not. We've had so many emails and calls about layoffs at Zambeel, once a promising next-gen NAS startup, it's hard to tell if there's anybody still there. (The latest word: "They let go all but three employees," according to one industry source.) The VCs are apparently "repositioning" the company in a "Gosh, didn't we tell you, we're a [insert latest trend] company?" mode. We had hoped the new direction might be bovine steroids or a new no-bake pasta, perhaps, but sources say Zambeel will be a pure software play or possibly do something with Serial ATA. Booooo-ring! (See SAN Startups on the Block and Zambeel COO Skedaddles.)

How about TrueSAN Networks Inc. for No. 2? [Ed. note: Don't be NASty! Or SANty!] (See Source: CNT Nixed TrueSAN Bid and TrueSAN Goes Belly-Up.)

Cutting to the real news, here are the highlights of our newest Top Ten list of storage networking startups:

• A new No. 1! LeftHand Networks has stormed up eight places to take the top spot. We applaud you, LeftHand!
• Close behind is Nishan Systems Inc. – under new management and making friends.
• There are two new entries: AppIQ Corp. and ManagedStorage International Inc. (MSI). Yay!
• 3PARdata Inc. hangs on by the very skin of its teeth at No. 10.
• And a couple of casualties: OuterBay Technologies Inc. and InterSAN Inc. (boooo!) slide down into the bit bucket to join 11 other former Top Ten candidates that have lost their rosy glows.