Around the Storage Block Blog

[#1]

 By Calvin Zito, aka @HPStorageGuy

I recently learned that we had been named the "Storage Virtualization Brand Leader" by ITBrand Pulse.  HP overtook EMC, the 2009 leader, to claim the top spot.  How's that for breaking records!!! I'm sure I'll get a bunch of boo-hooing and other comments from the competition so let's talk a little bit more about what the Brand Leader Reports are and ITBrand Pulse's methodology. Here's a slide they gave me that gives a good overview:

Here's the summary question of all the data - who is the market leader?

In case there's any issues reading the names going across, they read Dell, Dot Hill, EMC, Falcon Stor, HDS, HP/3PAR, IBM, LSI, NetApp, Oracle/Sun, Symantec, VMware, Other.

In each of the other surveyed areas (price, performance, reliability, service & support and innovation), we were second place in every category while other vendors split first place. 

Also worth pointing out is the dramatic change in perception of HP since the 2009 survey.  The report states, "In the 2009 survey, only 6.8% of the respondents selected HP as the storage virtualization market leader. The highly-publicized acquisition of PAR, and the re-positioning of StorageWorks as virtual storage, has made a big impact on IT perceptions."

While the work of integrating 3PAR just began late last year, its already starting to pay off.  I've seen some internal data that I can't share but trust me on this one - HP 3PAR is being widely adopted by customers.  As our efforts continue around integrating 3PAR, you'll be hearing a lot more!

If you're not up-to-speed on HP 3PAR, click on this link and go to the hp.com page where you can learn a lot more or an even better place to go is the 3PAR.com website.

NOTE: I've added a PDF from ITBrand Pulse that gives a one page summary of the Storage Virtualization Brand Leader Report.  Click the attachment link below.

[#2]

EMC employee disclaimer

This is not an attach rate survey or a market share survey, it's a perception survey... and sure, as a marketer I realize perception is reality, however with survey results you can "color" perception anyway you want to...  I'm not debating the results or the scientific validity of it... (although both are in question - um, a whooping 149 people filled out the survey?). My biggest concern is your representation of the data as fact within your headline. 

It's great that you recognized EMC in your post re "Record Breakers" (not breaking recorders) as we now have the smartest, fastest, and simplest solutions on the planet.  Thanks for that.

You seem like a smart dude, you should join EMC the "actual" leader in storage for virtualization...  it's always easier to market the products when you really believe in them!

[#3]

How does the P4000/Lefthand networks play into HP virtualize storage story. If 3Par gave them such a huge bump. HP had Lefthand in 09, is LH not as big a player for virtualized storage?

[#4]

At IT Brand Pulse, end user perception "is" reality and our surveys are designed not to "color" anyone's perception. The surveys are very straight-forward, asking in survey after survey, "who do you perceive as leader" in various product and brand categories.

The surge in IT recognition of HP's leadership in storage virtualization is another example of many of changes in IT perceptions unveiled by our surveys. For example, IT professionals ranked VMware as 1st or 2nd in market leadership for operating systems (2nd), server virtualization (1st), network virtualization (1st), and storage virtualization (2nd). Incumbents in each product arena cried foul, but it's intuitive to most that VMware is a new powerful brand in the world of virtualization and operating platforms.

In the face-to-face interaction I've had with data centers managers in recent focus groups, the results of this survey reflect the "actual" deployments of Virtual-Connect, and other technologies that are tightly woven together to form a virtualized storage environment.

[#5]

From a brand recognition standpoint, the acquisition of Lefthand was low-key compared to the blockbuster acquisition of 3Par that is still being debated in the press today (comments from Michael Dell about the deal are out there today).

[#6]

@Brian - my readers and customers know when someone is blowing smoke.  All one has to do is read my post to see I didn't claim market leadership - it was a brand survey and I stated that.  You're fact-distortion seems to be a common practice at EMC.

As to recognizing EMC as record breakers, if you read my EMC jibba-jabba post, you'll see I disagree.  But feel free to carry on with the EMC jargon-naut and jibba-jabba -- because customers are smarter than that.  I sure hope customers are reading their contracts with you carefully!

Thanks for the offer; I am smart (though there are lots of smart people here) and that's why I continue to work for the market leader in services, infrastructure, and software and not a follower.

@Jason - a very good observation.  I only called out 3PAR because that's how it was listed in the IT Brand Pulse survey.  We acquired LeftHand Networks over 18 months ago and it is fully integrated into our portfolio.  And if you didn't read the post I did from our Barcelona event in November, you'd see that the P4000 (HP LeftHand)  is very strategic to us.  It also has been growing at over triple digits so has been very strong in driving our storage virtualization brand leadership. 

Thanks to both of you for your comments.

[#7]

@Frank - thanks for both your comments.  I've certainly seen Michael Dell's comments (that he believes HP paid too much for 3PAR).  Interesting to me for a couple of reasons - he wasn't far behind in his bidding but he lost.  What else would anyone expect him to say.  If only he would have said what he really thinks, "Dang, I sure wish we would have matched HP".  Ain't happening! 

But there's another perspective I'd like to make on Dell vs. HP specific to storage.  Dell spent $2.1 Billion dollars on two acquisition (EqualLogic and Compellent) that both target the mid-market.  HP spent $2.4B on two acquisitions (LeftHand and 3PAR) that cover the mid-market and enterprise.  Who really spent too much? 

Thanks again for clearing up the question about your survey!