"Volume server capabilities are driving into several tiers of the computing infrastructure," IDC analyst Vernon Turner said in a statement. "It shows that high-end server technology has cascaded to this market, and that infrastructure is being augmented by industry standards and IT is reaping the benefits."
For the full year, server revenue increased by 3.2 percent to $45.7 billion, while unit shipments rose 18.3 percent to 5.3 million units.
Servers running Linux, the open-source operating system increasing in popularity in the enterprise, generated $960 million in quarterly revenue. Revenue from Linux servers increased 63.1 percent year-over-year, while unit shipments jumped 52.5 percent.
The increase in unit and revenue for Linux servers indicate that the systems are being used for a wider variety of applications and more powerful configurations are being sold in the market, IDC analyst Jean Bozman said.
"The implication is that the mix of products may be changing somewhat," Bozman said in an interview. "There are more powerful configurations in the product mix, and, as you watch the Linux market develop, it is taking on a greater variety of workloads."
Discover the benefits of scalable backbone and network services for application and cloud providers.
Network automation is gaining momentum. Here's how you can drive this powerful technology to its full potential.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
