This IDC study (which is a translation of the Japanese report IDC #J8370107,) analyzes the Japan system/network management software and storage software markets in 2007 by product function, OS, and vendor, and presents forecasts for the period between 2008 and 2012.

"With the shift towards open systems, the server-installed base is expanding and getting more heterogeneous. A myriad of products targeting an increasingly diverse customer base have been released by the various vendors. This has increased the management load of IT systems. IT managers also have to grapple with constantly emerging issues and technologies such as virtualization and the necessity to reduce power consumption. We forecast that the Japan infrastructure management software market will continue to expand amid this situation. IDC believes that vendors can maintain growth in this mature market by adding value to the management solutions they have been providing," says Mitsuhiro Iriya, research analyst, Software, IDC Japan.