Storage software and virtualization technology could outpace storage hardware sales next year, but the entire storage arena is on an unmistakable growth curve. Sixty percent of the VARs surveyed for SOM forecast growth in data recovery software solutions, indicating data access is a key part of the storage equation.

External storage was tapped by 57 percent of the VARs as a market that should grow next year. And 54 percent of the solution providers said their NAS business would grow next year.

Storage management software and storage virtualization should also see gains next year, according to VARs responding to the SOM survey. Forty-five percent pegged storage management software as a growth market next year, while 42 percent said storage virtualization solutions would increase in 2009.