This Forecast Update provides an overview of the external disk storage market by industry segment across the five largest Western European countries and the Rest of Western Europe, based on a preliminary version of the new IDC external disk systems forecast as of the end of April 2008.

The analysis in this study highlights key changes in IDC's vertical markets forecast for external disk storage systems based on market developments observed over the last eight months at a country level; a more detailed analysis of key trends can be found in Western European Vertical Markets, External Disk Systems Spending, Forecast Update, 2006?2011 (IDC #SS51Q, May 2008).

Country-level forecasts for external disk system spending, over the 2006?2011 period, are provided for the following 11 vertical markets: discrete manufacturing; process manufacturing; retail/wholesale; transport; communications; utilities; financial services; business services; government; healthcare/education; other.