Three key server segments - hyperscale data centers, hosted virtual desktop (HVD) workloads and extreme low-energy (ELE) servers – will offer opportunities for growth through 2015, according to Gartner, Inc. Servers represent the control points of hardware infrastructure in data centers, where workloads and applications reside, and Gartner analysts estimate that end-user spending on servers accounts for about 60 per cent of overall data center hardware.
"The server market was worth $52.8 billion worldwide in 2011, and although it is mature, it will offer considerable growth opportunities in the coming years," said Kiyomi Yamada, Principal Research Analyst at Gartner. "These opportunities will arise as demand for certain types of workloads increase and use of servers shifts to very large data centers, virtualization and energy-efficient products."
"Currently, the server market is highly competitive, and despite its size, offers only small profit margins," said Jeffrey Hewitt, Research Vice-President, Gartner. "The prevalence of standardized (x86) platforms also makes it hard for companies to differentiate their products. In response, server providers, aiming for higher profit margins, have been making more effort to create fabric-based infrastructure and converge around integrated systems. To succeed in the server market in the next few years, companies must innovate and respond quickly to shifts in demand.
