Once considered a "niche" technology, scale-out NAS is gaining traction among enterprise organizations, especially those with larger storage capacity requirements. While early adopters of scale-out NAS were attracted by the promise of faster provisioning, improved scalability, and easier management, the next wave of scale-out NAS customers is just as concerned with using the technology to reduce costs. ESG's data also suggests that users are leveraging scale-out NAS to support key Web 2.0, green IT, and data center refresh initiatives-a further indication that the technology is being more widely accepted as a viable storage option.