Report: Worldwide server sales up in second quarter

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Global server shipments grew significantly in the second quarter of 2010, with x86-based servers seeing the biggest gains, according to a new report from analyst firm Gartner.

Server shipments climbed 27.1 percent year-over-year in the second quarter, while revenue grew 14.3 percent, continuing the strong trends of this year’s first quarter.

The primary driver of market growth was the x86 systems, which grew 28.9 percent in units in the second quarter and 37.0 percent in revenue.

“As in the first quarter, the second quarter again demonstrated strong year-on-year growth,” said Jeffrey Hewitt, research vice president at Gartner. “There remained some regional variations, but all geographies demonstrated improving market conditions.”

Eastern Europe demonstrated the most significant growth in server shipments, with a 46.9 percent increase, as well as the highest vendor revenue growth at 26.2 percent.

In related, AMD recently revealed details on its next-generation x86 processors, codenamed “Bobcat,” a low-power chip for devices like netbooks and ultraportable laptops. According to IDG News, there is also a growing interest in building servers with low-power chips, as they can be useful for power efficiency and cutting costs.