TheInfoPro’s Storage Time Series Study Reveals That End User Excitement Is Improving for NetApp and IBM

TheInfoPro (TIP), www.theinfopro.net, an independent research network and leading supplier of market intelligence for the IT industry, today announced its Wave 9 Time Series “Most Exciting Storage Vendor” results. While EMC, HDS, NetApp, and IBM continue to maintain the top four positions, only NetApp and IBM are trending upward verses Wave 8. Although not among the top four, other public companies showing improvement include Cisco, Brocade, LSI, and Isilon.

Among the private company breakout: 3PAR, Data Domain, and Acopia lead the list, with positive improvements noted for Data Domain, Acopia, Compellent, and EqualLogic.

Part of the Wave 9 Storage Study that details technology adoption trends and timeframes, management techniques, and vendor performance data for the Storage industry, “The Most Exciting Vendors” Lists are compiled based on feedback from Storage professionals regarding which Storage organizations they consider as having the most exciting storage products and services.

To view a rich media presentation of findings, visit: http://www.brainshark.com/theinfopro/stor_timeseries

“End Users typically respond to the question of which Storage companies have the most exciting products and services by evaluating how well a Storage company’s products match their needs,” said Robert Stevenson, TIP’s Managing Director of Storage Research. “And changes over time in the results help reveal which Storage companies are best adapting and anticipating future Storage organizational needs.”

For the third consecutive wave, EMC has been cited as the Storage vendor with the most exciting products due to its strong storage portfolio and positive end user feedback for its DMX products. HDS, who has been listed second for three consecutive waves, leads the responses for its innovative USP storage virtualization solutions. NetApp and IBM hold the #3 and #4 spots, respectively, and are the only vendors among the top four to receive higher responses in Wave 9 vs. Wave 8.

On the private company front, 3PAR, Data Domain, and Acopia topped the list for the fourth consecutive wave. However, Data Domain saw the largest jump in positioning, going from #9 in the Wave 8 Storage Study to the #6 position in Wave 9, only one position behind IBM.

About TIP’s Storage Study

Over 150 Fortune 1000 end users were interviewed for the Wave 9 Storage Study, providing commentary and insight on their storage adoption plans, management strategies, and vendor performance. Storage companies cited in the study include: 3PAR, Acopia, Akorri, Aptare, BlueArc, Brocade, CA, Caringo, Cisco Systems, CommVault Systems, Compellent Technologies, Copan, Crossroads, DataCore Software Corp., Data Domain Inc., Diligent, Double-Take, EMC, Emulex Corp., FalconStor Software, Finisar, Hitachi Data Systems, Illuminator Inc., HP, IBM, Iron Mountain, LeftHand, LSI Logic, MonoSphere, Microsoft, Network Appliance, Onaro, Packeteer, PGP, Pillar Data Systems, QLogic, Quantum, Riverbed Technology, Sanovi Technologies Corp., Seagate, Sepaton, SGI, Sun Microsystems, Symantec Corp., Virtual Iron and WysDM Software.

About TheInfoPro

TheInfoPro (TIP) is the only independent research network for the Information Technology (IT) industry. Through a peer network of over 900 of the world’s largest buyers and users of IT, including Citigroup, FedEx, McGraw-Hill, MasterCard, Pfizer, Vodafone, PepsiCo, JPMorgan Chase, and Harvard University, TIP delivers detailed budget, vendor performance, and technology roadmap data without spin or bias. Known as the “voice of the customer,” TIP helps IT professionals, technology providers, and institutional investors make sound decisions on technologies, vendor relationships, and investments. Founded in 2002 by alumni of Gartner, Giga, EMC, and Bell Labs, TIP is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston. To learn more, visit www.theinfopro.net or call 1-212-672-0010.