Looking ahead: 2005 will continue what 2004 began; Cutting costs, complexity and competition.

We are entering a new world where the fundamental status of data storage in the enterprise is being renegotiated under the gun of regulatory compliance, heightened security, increasing complexity, and falling prices. At the same time the industry is experiencing a period of unparalleled consolidation at all levels--from storage consolidating within the Enterprise, to smaller storage companies gobbled up by larger ones, to corporate giants acquiring other giants, some larger than themselves.

To assess some consequences of this we are asking industry leaders to give us their perspectives. We will continue this through the First Quarter. Company leaders wishing to participate should contact [e-mail].