Server/NAS Hard Disks

Seagate is the runaway winner, with IBM/Hitachi and Quantum far behind in this segment that we have introduced this year. In fact, IBM and Quantum just about make it to the Club.

The introduction of this category came about from the recommendations of the round table of vendors that we conducted (see pages 42-43 for visuals from the event) before the Users' Choice survey. The premise behind this new category is simple-as storage needs grow, do enterprises need to add more disks to existing storage infrastructure? The question was how widespread this was, and whether such purchases were a priority for senior decision makers.

About 75 percent of those interviewed did have a need to make such purchases and have made them in the past. Ten percent of these mentioned (software) application vendors or consultants as the source of their purchase. 

When it came to the future, a higher percentage, 85 percent, indicated that they would be making extra disk purchases. 

Seagate is the clear leader, and what is surprising is the absence of server or NAS brands, other than IBM/Hitachi. One would have assumed that extra disks purchased for existing hardware would come from the original hardware vendor. But, that is not the case. This segment parallels what is happening in the personal hard-disk market, where the brand identity of the hard disk players, particularly of Seagate, is strong enough to come out above that of the server or NAS device 



vendor. Storage device vendors may want to look into this as this may represent possible loss of revenue for them.

Alternately, Enterprises could be buying ther extra disks from storage equipment vendors, but the brand of the disk may be overpowering the brand of the source. 

Either way, this is something that bears further investigation from storage equipment vendors.

Seagate enjoys the highest brand loyalty at 92 percent, Hitachi/IBM and Quantum, both have almost equal brand loyalties. If we look at possible brand-switch patterns, then Seagate is the clear winner, gaining about a third from each of the other brands in the race. 

IBM has put up a fairly strong show in all storage segments, and that is reflected here also, though on a much smaller scale, and IBM is worth watching in the year ahead.