Mathews said that Windows Storage Server is growing fast in terms of an OS on which NAS appliances are built. However, he said much of that growth is at the expense of Windows Server, which many solution providers have traditionally used with a low-end server and direct-attached storage to build NAS-equivalent devices. "I see [their market growth] as a shift from Windows file servers to Windows Storage Server," he said.
Yet, Schmidt said that while Windows servers were used to serve files in the past, the move to Windows Storage Server-powered NAS appliances does not affect overall OS sales.
While the competition between the three main NAS players heats up as they move more into each other's markets, solution providers stick with their favorites depending on their experience and their clients' requirements.
For Eryck Bredy, president of Bredy Network Management, a Woburn, Mass., solution provider, configuring file servers using Windows is still a better alternative to Windows Storage Server-based NAS appliances for his small-business clients. When a customer asks specifically for a NAS appliance, Bredy recommends Dell for its convenience. However, for most customers, Bredy said he still serves files with a 1U HP ProLiant server with local storage. "When customers outgrow a NAS, they need to buy another," he said. "For them, it makes more sense to keep the server separate from the storage [and just add more capacity]."
Alliance Technology Group, a Hanover, Md.-based solution provider, focuses on NetApp for its NAS customers and seldom sees competition in the enterprise from other vendors, even in a Windows environment, said Hope Hayes, president. "Our customers deal in mixed environments," she said. "You can always use a NetApp somewhere."
Discover the benefits of scalable backbone and network services for application and cloud providers.
Network automation is gaining momentum. Here's how you can drive this powerful technology to its full potential.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
