Cracks in the Foundation: The Subtle but Serious Impact of Gartner's MQ Shift ?

In this recently published piece (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/proposed-changes-gartner-magic-quadrant-may-undermine-tony-moroney-76lte/), potential changes to the Gartner Magic Quadrant (MQ) for Primary Storage are discussed—changes that may seem obscure but could have far-reaching and unexpected consequences. The shift to favor storage vendors that integrated with hyperscalers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud could unfairly put traditional storage providers at a serious disadvantage. Other long-time leaders in on-premises solutions might lose market influence, while enterprises heavily invested in their products could face costly and disruptive transitions to data-storage-based alternatives.

US storage vendors stand to benefit the most, as the new criteria would likely reinforce their growing monopoly in the market. Industry analysts and investors might witness shifts in market dynamics that disrupt proven investment strategies, while regulatory bodies could express concern over reduced competition and innovation. Small and medium-sized businesses that rely on specialized solutions may find themselves with fewer options, higher costs, and less control over their data.

Adding to the controversy, there are rumors that these changes are driven by geopolitical pressures, which could undermine Gartner's perceived objectivity and independence. In an upcoming deeper dive, I will explore how this potential shift could impact Gartner as a publicly listed company and its role in shaping the industry. Stay tuned for a closer examination of these critical issues.?