IDC: Storage Software Sales Growth Slows

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- According to IDCs Worldwide Quarterly Storage Software Tracker, the worldwide storage software market experienced its 21st consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in the fourth quarter of 2008 (4Q08) with revenues of $3.03 billion, an 3.6% increase over the same quarter one year ago.

"The storage software market is starting to exhibit more of an impact from the economic trouble," said Michael Margossian, research analyst, Storage Software at IDC. "Even with the usually strong fourth quarter, most vendors showed signs of slowing down, and in some cases declining year over year."

"On a yearly basis, storage-based software showed continuing growth when comparing like quarters year over year. Particularly strong were the Data Protection and Recovery, File System Software, and Archiving segments. However, same year Q3 to Q4 comparisons are negative or neutral reflecting the downward pressure from the worldwide economic crisis," added James Baker, IDC's research manager for Storage Software. "The two largest segments – Data Protection and Recovery Software and Storage Replication Software – dropped just slightly between Q3 and Q4."

IDC