Brocade, Compellent, Data Domain and NetApp Gaining Ground

TheInfoPro (TIP), an independent research network and supplier of market intelligence for the Information Technology (IT) industry, announced that NetApp and Data Domain have seen the largest increase in mentions among both Fortune 1000 (F1000) and Midsize Enterprise (MSE) Storage professionals when asked which technology providers they consider to be the most exciting. TIP’s Most Exciting Storage Vendor List is part of the Wave 11 Storage Study — which details technology adoption trends and timeframes, management techniques, and vendor performance data for the Storage industry — and is compiled based on feedback from Storage professionals in response to the question, "Which one to two vendors do you think have the most exciting Storage products or services?"

From an F1000 time-series perspective, NetApp, Data Domain, IBM, Compellent, and FalconStor have all trended up, and Brocade makes a reappearance on the list in Wave 11 after having fallen off in Wave 10 of the study (Winter of 2007). NetApp has risen from #3 to #2 on the list. Data Domain has jumped two spots, from #5 to #3, and IBM goes from #6 to #4. 3PAR drops from #4 to #5, HDS has fallen from #2 to #6, and EMC, though still receiving the most mentions, trends downward for the fifth consecutive wave.

In order of ranking, the following vendors are included on TIP’s F1000 Most Exciting Storage Vendor List for Wave 11: EMC, NetApp, Data Domain, IBM, 3PAR, HDS, Compellent, Brocade, Cisco, Symantec, HP, FalconStor, F5 Networks, Xsigo Systems, Silver Peak, SEPATON, Quantum, NEC, Isilon Systems, Dell, and COPAN.

In order of ranking, the following vendors are included on TIP’s MSE Most Exciting Storage Vendor List for Wave 11: Data Domain, 3PAR, Compellent, EMC, HDS, Xiotech, Isilon Systems, HP, IBM, CommVault, Brocade, Sun, Pillar Data, and FalconStor.

"The results on TIP’s Most Exciting Storage Vendor List show that Storage professionals are clearly looking for SAN architectures that are more active in managing storage utilization," said Robert Stevenson, TIP’s Managing Director of Storage Research. "As a result, end users are focusing their attention on those vendors that provide technologies such as deduplication and thin provisioning, virtualized provisioning, and capacity optimization to assist them in reaching their goal of having an active and participatory SAN architecture."

Over 250 F1000 and MSE end users were interviewed for the Wave 11 Storage Study, providing commentary and insight on their Storage adoption plans, management strategies, and vendor performance. Storage Technology providers that were mentioned throughout the study include: 3PAR, Adaptec, Anue Systems, Arkivio, Asempra, Attachmate, Autonomy, BakBone, Blue Coat, Broadcom, Brocade, CA, Ciena, Cisco, ClearPoint Metrics, CommVault, COPAN, DataDirect, Networks, Data Domain, Dell, Diligent Technologies, Double-Take, Egenera, EMC, Emulex, EqualLogic, FalconStor, Finisar, Force10 Networks, Fujitsu Siemens, HDS, HP, IBM, IBRIX, Incipient, InMage, Isilon Systems, Juniper, LeftHand Networks, LSI, Microsoft, MSI Computer, NetApp, NEC, Nexsan, Nortel, Onaro, ONStor, Oracle, Packeteer, PlateSpin, QLogic, Quantum, Quest Software, Rackable Systems, Red Hat, Riverbed, Seagate, SEPATON, Signiant, Silver Peak, Spectra Logic, Sun, Symantec, Virtual Iron, Voltaire, Winchester Systems, Yotta Yotta.