Snapshot: EMC Leads Disk Storage Systems in Q1 Sales

Demand for enterprise storage systems has grown nearly seven percent in the last year, according to tech research firm IDC. The big winner among the top five storage companies was HP, which grew its business by 19 percent in the first quarter of 2015 compared to 1Q2014.

However, EMC, which took in $1.5 billion in storage system sales during that same period, was declared the largest vendor by revenue. EMC's share represented 17 percent of all spending in the first quarter. HP's share during that same time was almost 15 percent.

IDC reported in its Worldwide Quarterly Disk Storage Systems Tracker that total capacity reached 28.3 exabytes during the quarter, an increase of 41 percent year over year. The company defines a disk storage system as having at least three disks.

That growth represents more demand for server-based storage and hyperscale infrastructure (such as that used in server farms) and less call for traditional external arrays, according to Research Director Eric Sheppard.

EMC led sales of "open networked disk storage," network attached storage and non-mainframe storage area network gear, as well as sales of external storage systems.

Leading storage vendors in the first quarter of 2015 included:

  • EMC with $1.5 billion in revenue (down 6.7 percent) and a market share of 17.4 percent;
  • HP, with $1.3 billion in revenue (up 19 percent) and a market share of 14.6 percent;
  • Dell, with $897 million in revenue (up 6 percent) and a market share of 10.2 percent;
  • NetApp, with $765 million in revenue (down 10.5 percent) and a market share of 6 percent; and
  • IBM, with $525 million in revenue (down 29 percent) and a market share of 6 percent.

Additional information is available in IDC's "Worldwide Quarterly Disk Storage Systems Tracker," a tool for tracking quarterly sales activities among storage vendors.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • a stylized magnifying glass and a neural network pattern with interconnected nodes, symbolizing search and AI processes

    OpenAI Launching AI-Powered Search Engine

    OpenAI has unveiled SearchGPT, a new AI-powered search engine designed to access information from across the internet in real time. The much-anticipated prototype will provide more organized and meaningful search results by summarizing and contextualizing information rather than returning lists of links.

  • depiction of cybersecurity funding featuring a shield with a glowing digital lock at its center

    Application Window for FCC Cybersecurity Pilot to Open Sept. 17

    The application filing window for the Federal Communications Commission Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program will be open from Sept. 17 to Nov. 1, 2024.

  • close-up illustration of a hand signing a legislative document

    California Passes AI Safety Bill, Awaits Governor's Signature

    California lawmakers have approved a bill that would impose new restrictions on AI technologies, potentially setting a national precedent for regulating the rapidly evolving field. The legislation, known as S.B. 1047, now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. He has until the end of September to decide whether to sign it into law.

  • file folders floating in the clouds, with glowing AI circuitry and data lines intertwined

    OneDrive Update Adds Copilot AI Tech

    Microsoft has announced new enterprise capabilities in its OneDrive cloud storage service, many of which leverage the company's Copilot AI capabilities.