SAN Market Posts Strong Fourth Quarter, According to Dell'Oro Group

4Q12 Fibre Channel Switch Revenue Best Ever for Brocade

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Mar 07, 2013, 09:00 ET

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In a newly released SAN quarterly report by Dell'Oro Group, the trusted source for market information about the networking and telecommunications industries, Fibre Channel switch and adapter revenues surpassed $650 Million in 4Q12. Brocade realized a record quarter with Fibre Channel switch revenues of over $350 Million. Brocade saw a 7% sequential increase in Fibre Channel switch revenue, and continued ramping its 16 Gbps products in the quarter. Cisco had soft quarterly results, which we believe were due to stalled sales as customers anticipated the release of its new 16 Gbps switch platform.

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The report points to new products and the transition to higher-speed platforms as underlying drivers of the market growth. "The transition to 16 Gbps, or 'Gen 5 Fibre Channel,' has been slower than previous speed migrations, and product refresh is one of the key growth drivers. With 16 Gbps, Fibre Channel customers are considering new features and functionality in addition to speed," said Casey Quillin, Senior Analyst at Dell'Oro Group. "I think the key take-away from this quarter is that the Fibre Channel installed base is strong, committed to Fibre Channel, and willing to expend considerable capital to protect their SAN investment," added Quillin.

The report discusses the outlook for market migration to 16 Gbps Fibre Channel, as well as analyzes how FCoE is being deployed. Vendors with current Fibre Channel switch and adapter offerings include: Brocade, Cisco, Emulex and QLogic.

About the Report
The Dell'Oro Group SAN Quarterly Report provides complete, in-depth coverage of the market with tables covering manufacturers' revenue, average selling prices, and port shipments (by speed 1 Gbps (historical data), 2 Gbps (historical data), 4 Gbps, 8 Gbps and greater than or equal to 16 Gbps) for Fibre Channel switches and adapters, and 10 Gbps FCoE switches, controllers, and adapters. To purchase this report, contact Julie Learmond-Criqui at +1.650.622.9400 x244 or email [email protected].

About Dell'Oro Group
As the trusted source for market information about the networking and telecommunications industries, Dell'Oro Group provides in-depth, objective research and analysis that enable component manufacturers, equipment vendors, and investment firms to make fact-based, strategic decisions. For more information, contact Dell'Oro Group at +1.650.622.9400 or visit www.DellOro.com.

SOURCE Dell'Oro Group