Disk storage market to double

Revenue growth in the sector will rise to $26.3bn, according to IDC.

Half of all disk-based storage terabytes shipped by 2009 will be based on capacity-orientated disk drives.

The Worldwide Disk Storage Systems 2005-2009 report forecasts that global shipments of external disk system terabytes will increase annually by 60 per cent by 2009. Internal disk shipments will increase by 37 per cent.

Dave Reinsel, director of storage research at IDC, said: “The storage industry is responding well to the needs and desires of users, but there are still storage issues, such as data protection strategies and data migration tools.”

In an earlier report IDC said the disk storage systems market was growing by six per cent in the first quarter of this year (CRN, 13 June).

All major storage vendors have a foothold in the market, but Reinsel added that opportunities exist for new vendors. “These same areas provide opportunities for established companies to differentiate themselves and for smaller ventures to meet specific market needs,” he said.

Kevin Drew, managing director of ISV Triangle, said: “Disk-based storage is a growth area and new vendors could develop opportunities in the SME space.”