IDC defines purpose-built backup appliances (PBBAs) as disk-based solutions that utilise software, disk arrays, and server engine(s)/nodes, and used as a target for backup data and replicated backup data. These products are standalone disk systems purpose built to serve as a target for backup and include features such as deduplication, compression, encryption, remote replication, and support interfaces.
 
For the third quarter of 2014, IDC says that worldwide PBBA factory revenues grew 11.2 percent year over year totalling US$789.2 million. Total PBBA open systems factory revenue increased 12.9 percent year over year in 3Q14 with revenues totalling US$706.6  million while the mainframe market experienced a decline of -1.1 percent for the same period. Total worldwide PBBA capacity shipped, for open systems and mainframe PBBA systems, reached 687,473 terabytes, an increase of 81.5 percent year over year.
 
"Growth in the worldwide PBBA market remained strong in the third quarter, posting a double-digit year-over-year growth rate in factory revenue," said Liz Conner, Research Manager, Storage Systems. "Customers continue to resonate with the importance of data protection, backup, and recovery, while improved vendor offerings allow for greater flexibility and customization in meeting customer data protection needs."
 
Leading the PBBA market for the third quarter is EMC (no surprise there) with 62.5 percent share followed by Symantec at a distant 12.9 percent share. Even farther out are IBM and HP posting 6.4 percent and 3.3 percent market share, respectively. Quantum moved into the number 5 PBBA vendor position with a 2.6 percent share of the worldwide market.