Large-volume Storage

HP is the winner, followed by IBM, Dell and Veritas. EMC comes in at number five and Sun and Hitachi complete the Users' Choice Club for a crowded market. EMC and Hitachi are new entrants this year.

IBM has managed to narrow the gap with HP from 49 index points last year to just 29 this year. Dell, Veritas and Sun have more or less retained their index points. 

So, the big news here is the emergence of EMC and Hitachi from the shadows. This should mean that there is a reduction of loyalty for one or more existing players. So, it is all the more creditable that Dell has managed a very high 82 percent brand loyalty. EMC, with 86 percent has the highest in this segment this year. Sun is down from 69 percent to 33 percent and IBM and HP are marginally down.

Let us start with IBM. IBM's gains in the coming year will come from brands that did not make it to the Users' Choice Club (18 percent) and from Sun (17 percent). Like last year, IBM and HP are losing and gaining the same percentage from each other this year also. EMC is in the commendable position of not losing any current user to the top brands, and instead will have to watch for flanking attacks from those not in the Club. EMC also stands to gain minor shares from HP, IBM and Sun.