The stable value of total external disk system shipments in the U.S. between 2002 and 2007 hides the healthy compound annual growth rates of 7.5% for the SAN and 5.4% for the NAS sectors as they fight over more than $1 billion in shipments lost by the dwindling value of direct attached storage shipments during that time. By 2007, IDC expects SAN shipments will reach $3.8 billion or 65% of the $5.8 billion market for external disk systems in the U.S.