Japanese companies adopt data storage
Five companies, including semiconductor-equipment maker Tokyo Electron and the Japanese units of Brocade Communications Systems and Veritas Software, unveiled a joint project to help users in Japan build and test storage area networks (SANs). The other two members are Japanese computer-services provider TIS and consultant Emtorage Broadcommunications.
"Japan has been, if one were to speak unkindly, in a peace-induced daze, or put more charitably, a very safe country, so it is very ill-prepared when it comes to (data) security," said Susumu Okamoto, senior managing director at TIS. "I think things will steadily change following the events of September."
Executives from the companies said the need to ensure access to data even if a disaster strikes would provide an added impetus, along with potential cost savings, to adopt SANs.
The companies said Japan's market for open data-storage systems, including software and consulting, was expected to grow to $4.66 billion (560 billion yen) in 2004 from $2.91 billion this year.
The five will aim for a combined 10 percent portion of that market.
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