The rapid growth in digital content libraries will push worldwide sales of network-attached storage (NAS) devices to nearly 13 million units by 2012, according to a new report by research firm Parks Associates.
Titled “Home Servers and Consumer Storage: Analysis and Forecasts,” the report defines several categories of consumer storage solutions, from online/network-hosted services to NAS devices and home servers. It provides primary consumer research about recent and planned storage uses and purchases, and includes worldwide forecasts for NAS products.
“Current file storage solutions are not equipped to handle consumers’ ever-growing libraries of digital photos, music and video,” says Jane Shields, a Parks Associates research analyst. “Soon the average broadband household will need close to a terabyte of storage for their media collections on PCs, portable devices and DVRs.
Intuitive user interfaces and installation processes, allowing easy backup, file sharing, and new device connectivity, will help consumers grow accustomed to networked storage and stimulate sales, according to the report.
