Windows Powered NAS Appliances Experiencing Substantial Growth
IDC Research Shows Adoption of Windows Powered NAS Devices Has Increased To 25 Percent in Just Over a Year
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REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that new data from the analyst firm International Data Corp. (IDC) shows impressive growth for Network Attached Storage (NAS) appliances built on the Windows® 2000 operating system. Adoption of mid- to high-range Windows Powered NAS appliances in the third quarter of 2001 helped Microsoft gain 10 percentage points over the previous quarter in the NAS industry, for a total of 25 percent. By developing Windows Powered NAS appliances, leading OEMs have helped increase the market category for these devices from nothing to 25 percent in just one year, according to IDC data.
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According to IDC's research, branded NAS devices based on the Microsoft® Windows 2000 platform experienced substantial growth in the third quarter. ``Our data shows these devices gained roughly 10 points during the third quarter of 2001,'' said John Humphreys, senior research analyst with IDC's Global Enterprise Server Solutions Program. ``This brings the Windows shipment to 25 percent of the total NAS industry. By offering IT administrators a cost-effective solution that is easy to manage and expand, Windows Powered server appliances deliver a strong solution that we believe will enable Microsoft and OEM partners to continue to compete in this very aggressive marketplace.''
Microsoft believes customers are choosing Windows Powered NAS servers for their high reliability and availability and simplicity of management, which result in lower cost of ownership. Windows Powered NAS appliances offer enterprise customers strong benefits, including seamless integration with existing IT infrastructures, comprehensive management tools, and support for anti-virus and data protection software features that are not commonplace on competitive platforms.
``The continued rapid adoption of Windows Powered NAS appliances demonstrates the strong customer demand for reliable, high-performance storage devices that can be easily managed and seamlessly integrated into existing IT infrastructures,'' said Keith White, senior director of marketing for the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group at Microsoft. ``Microsoft along with our OEM partners provide customers with NAS solutions that continue to deliver leading price/performance in the industry.'' |
