Symantec, Quantum, QLogic, Brocade and NetApp

IT Brand Pulse, a source of data and analysis about IT infrastructure, announced the results of the March 2011 IT Brand Leader Awards Survey. In this survey, respondents were asked which vendors they perceive as the leader in six IT categories: Backup Software, Unified Storage, Tape Library, Fibre Channel HBAs, Fibre Channel Switches, and Laptops. Within those categories, respondents chose the brand leader in market, price, performance, reliability, service and support, and innovation.

                     Market Leader, Backup Software, March 2011

Highlights of the survey:

• Symantec, with their Netbackup and Backup Exec products, captured the Market Leader Award while sweeping every category of Backup Software brand leadership. IBM with Tivoli Storage Manager, EMC with Legato Networker, and Microsoft with Data Protection Manager, each placed second in one or more categories.
• Quantum won the market leader award (again) in a repeat of the February survey for Tape Libraries. In the February survey, Oracle was listed as a Tape Library vendor. The response for Oracle was unusually low, so to test the difference, the survey was was run again in March with Oracle included as Oracle/STK.
• QLogic was chosen as Market Leader for Fibre Channel HBAs, and also dominated the other five categories of brand leadership.
• Brocade won three of six brand leader awards, including the Market Leader Award, and tied for first in another, for Fibre Channel Switches. Cisco won the Performance and Innovation awards, and tied for first in another.
• NetApp, the pioneer in Unified Storage Systems won the Innovation award. However, giant competitor EMC was selected as Market Leader as well as the leader for Performance, Reliability, and Service and Support. Dell /Compellent was selected as the Price Leader.
• In the Laptop product category, Dell and HP tied for the Market Leader Award. Dell was also chosen as the Price Leader, and Service and Support Leader, while Apple was selected as Performance, Reliability and Innovation Leader.

"By sweeping all six awards, Symantec and QLogic demonstrated dominant brands in Backup Software and Fibre Channel HBAs," said Frank Berry, Senior Analyst, IT Brand Pulse. "On the other end of the spectrum, it appears Oracle has managed to bury their once dominant STK brand."

About the Brand Leader Surveys
IT Brand Pulse Brand Leader surveys are designed to measure the pulse of brand leadership in specific product categories. Each month, IT professionals respond to one survey covering six product categories. Within each product category, respondents choose the overall market leader, as well as the leader in price, performance, reliability, service and support, and innovation.