The number of organisations considering upgrading their existing storage infrastructure to 4 Gb/s, is set to explode dramatically, over the next six to 18 months. This is the key finding in the latest research conducted in the market by Engenio Information Technologies.
The research, conducted by the global provider of innovative and highly scalable modular storage systems for the open enterprise, has given the first clear insight into the 4 Gb/s market and the adoption rate of this latest technology.
Steve Gardner, Director of Product Strategy, Engenio, stated: The most frequently asked question regarding 4 Gb/s technology is Why do I need this? After all, most users still arent taking full advantage of all that 2 Gb/s SANs have to offer. The answer is twofold: technology and economics. As technology advances, components become smaller, faster and less expensive, vendors push improvements to differentiate and create competitive advantage. As a by-product, the new technology can drive lower costs, creating an economic incentive for buyers to use the latest technology, even if their need is not immediate.
Add the fact that the new 4 Gb/s technology will be compatible with 2 Gb/s and 1 Gb/s installations. There will be no need to uninstall 2 Gb/s investments, and customers will be able to seamlessly plug into the improved infrastructure. This understanding changed the question from Why do I need this? to When can I have this?, Gardner added.
Key findings of the survey include:
- 64% of respondents stated that the biggest driver of storage technology was the explosive growth in data
- 71% believe that the biggest driver for future investment in 4 Gb/s technology is to achieve a better ROI
- 50% of companies planning to upgrade existing infrastructure to
4 Gb/s are planning to do so within the next 6 18 months
- Barriers to adoption include cost (29% of sample) and legacy infrastructure concerns (36%)
- over 71% do believe that 4Gb/s technology will deliver significant improvements to existing storage infrastructures
Research
This research was completed through face to face interviews with a sample of 100 IT Directors in three European markets UK, France and Germany at the recent Brocade Seminars held throughout Europe.
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