FCoE Primary Alternative to FC as Storage Network Fabric by 2011

A recently published forecast report by Dell’Oro Group predicts Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) will be the primary alternative to Fibre Channel as a storage network fabric. Sales increases of FCoE switches and adapters are forecast to make higher contributions than Fibre Channel to the Storage Area Network market growth as early as 2011.
 
“Since FCoE will be a key datacenter technology, continued investment in this sector should bode well for the technology,” commented Seamus Crehan, Vice President of Dell’Oro Group. “New datacenter technologies and deployment models that have compelling return on investment prospects have resulted in increased investment in the datacenter. However, although FCoE may have a compelling cost-saving story, customers have to initially invest in the technology to reap these benefits. With today’s macroeconomic uncertainty, users are deferring new equipment purchases and lab testing. No matter how enticing the potential savings are on FCoE, if it doesn’t get tested in the lab it won’t get rolled out,” added Crehan.