NAS and NAS Virtualization: Industry Report

NAS and NAS Virtualization

Product Type: Market Research Report
Published by: Peripheral Concepts, Inc.
Published: March 2007
Product Code: R3428-4

Description

This study discusses the results of an extensive end user survey that was completed in December 2006. It examines the acceptance of the various Network Attached Storage (NAS) and NAS virtualization systems. The survey and study also cover IT managers selection criteria and requirements, as well as networked storage consolidation trends.

NAS growth has outpaced most predictions. x% have implemented at least one NAS, and an additional x% will implement one within the next 12 months. Figures show plans by capacity ranges, with tiers x,y primarily aggressive in their implementation plan. xxx are the most popular applications.

The median population has x NAS systems. Though the number of sites with NAS have not increased significantly from our 2005 survey, the percentage of user’s data stored in NAS configuration has grown from x% in 2004 to y% in 2005 , to z% in 2006.

Less than 5 years ago, to the question “What made you choose SAN instead of NAS”, 41% said performance, 20 % said scalability, 30% were unfamiliar with NAS. Today, large sites rank performance highest among the preferred features of a NAS product.

x percent of population with NAS have at least one Fibre Channel SAN, and y% have at least one iSCSI SAN, which represents an important penetration of iSCSI.

x% percent (versus 20% last year) of the population have consolidated disk capacity of SAN and NAS in a single storage pool, and this population will grow by x% in the next twelve months. In the consolidation process, x% of the respondents prefer to keep application server data and storage files in separate environments.

NAS Virtualization

By creating a single logical view across multiple NAS systems, NAS virtualization (or aggregation) addresses the scaling, performance, and management problems that plague NAS scalability today. NAS virtualization has doubled in the past year, and x new installations are planned in the next 12 months accounting for extensions of already installed systems.

x% of the surveyed respondents have implemented NAS virtualization today of which y% will upgrade it next year, and an additional x% will install it for the first time in the next 12 months. Virtualization is present in SMB tiers x and y. % of the Telecommunication industry population, and close to half of xxx industries have virtualization.

Users cite scalability at the top of the selection criteria when acquiring a virtualization product, followed closely by xxx. Merging heterogeneous NAS units is a requirement for a significant percentage of the population. xxx functionality is found to be a major concern when acquiring a virtualization product.

In their search for a complete solution users like to see xxx associated to a NAS offering. X% would rather purchase a complete system as opposed to software only.

xxx are the major NAS and NAS virtualization vendors. We tested the respondents on their awareness of smaller virtualization vendors. Figures indicate the installations and product under evaluation for the most known vendors

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1- PROFILES - Site Profiles: Storage Profiles
2- STORAGE MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETS: Storage Management; Budgets and VARs
3- NAS
4- NAS VIRTUALIZATION
6- SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
7- AUTHOR’S PROFILE
8- OTHER PERIPHERAL CONCEPTS’ REPORTS
LIST OF FIGURES: 0- Executive Summary; 1- Profiles; 2- Storage Management; 3- NAS; 4- NAS Virtualization

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