In a large part, due to NetApp’s success with dedupe on primary storage (i.e. A-SIS) there is a strong demand for storage optimization technologies to be embedded into primary storage arrays. The market is rapidly moving toward placing optimization intellectual property (e.g. compression, dedupe) as a fundamental component of arrays and delivering optimization as a transparent and non-disruptive function.
All major primary storage OEMs will have to have a story here. Today, as evidenced by NetApp, it is an advantage. By 2011, primary storage optimization will become a fundamental market requirement. By 2012, primary vendors without this capability will be at a disadvantage.
Permabit's Albireo announcement underscores the pace of this trend, and we expect to see OEMs adopting the technology or developing strategies that are comparable. This capability will rapidly move from nice to have to glaring white space.
Action Item: The need for storage optimization reached front and center with the economic crisis of 2008 and 2009. It is now rapidly becoming an expected capability in 2010 as efficiency is becoming an important theme for users. Major storage suppliers must endeavor to deliver primary storage optimization function that is 1) embedded and transparent; 2) non-disruptive-- i.e. IP placed throughout the stack and 3) fast. The time to market imperative is now.
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