Network-attached storage unit shipments on the rise

An In-Stat study shows that the number of portable consumer electronics (CE) and computing devices as well as the increasing need for network-attached storage (NAS) or centralized storage for content access will drive worldwide consumer NAS unit shipments past 1.1 crore in 2015.

"The concept of centralized storage was originally developed for businesses where access to corporate information through a network connected to multiple devices provided a number of competitive advantages," says Norm Bogen, vice president for research at In-Stat. "This context, where benefits are gained connecting multiple devices to a centralized network or storage system, never materialized in the home until recently. Now, with so many different devices in the home, the value of centralized storage is becoming more apparent. The difference, however, is that the need for home network storage is driven by practicality, while in business the driver is efficiency."

The study notes that the consumer NAS market opportunity will continue to be driven by consumers that use a number of portable CE and computing devices in the home and demand remote access to their content. Europe will claim over 50 per cent of all consumer NAS unit shipments in 2015. While the estimated household penetration of consumer NAS in North America will be 4.4 per cent at year-end 2015. Worldwide revenue for the consumer NAS market was approximately Rs.3,028.57 crore ($678.4 million) in 2010.

According to the report, the market, which is being led by Buffalo Technologies in terms of units shipped, also includes Apple, Cisco, D-Link, HP, Iomega, LaCie, NETGEAR, Seagate (Maxtor), Thecus, and Western Digital.

The report entitled, "Worldwide Consumer Network-Attached Storage: Low Penetration, High Growth," covers the worldwide market for consumer network storage.

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