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Network Servers

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PCQ Bureau
New Update
Year Winner
2000 IBM
1999 IBM
1998 Compaq
1997 IBM
1996 HCL-HP
1995 HCL-HP
1994 Wipro
1993 Zenith
1992 Zenith
1991 Zenith
1990 Zenith
1989 Zenith
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The heart of any network is the server. It’s what stores

your data, runs your critical business applications, and helps give shape to

your network. This year too, IBM has taken the maximum number of votes in the

category and is the winner.

Earlier, IBM had faced stiff competition by Compaq, and the

two fought neck to neck for several years over the winning position. This year,

IBM, and for that matter everybody, seems to be facing stiff competition from

the local assembler. The assembler has steadily risen to the runner up position

this year.

IBM received strong support from the West, whereas Compaq

machines were strong in the South. Given the fact that a server has to work on a

time schedule of 24x7, it needs to be rugged. That’s why our respondents

stressed on quality as the most important criterion for choosing a network

server.

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In current usage, Wipro and Zenith were reported to be the

highest. However, in the

Network Servers

User's Choice Club  UPI
IBM 100
Assembled 68
HP 58
Compaq 42
Wipro 37
HCL 32

most-preferred brand for purchase, Wipro finished second

last, and Zenith couldn’t manage to remain in the Club at all. It’s a highly

competitive market, and one of the exciting parts is the innovation. Everybody’s

trying to come up with a more powerful server than others. So server technology

is improving day by day with better management features, and extra power. This

drive is actually fuelled by users, who prefer to have the best possible (within

their budgets of course).

One of the most interesting innovations has been Compaq’s

rack server, which is just 1.75" thick. It has all the essential parts of

an ordinary server, which includes hot-swappable Ultra-SCSI drives, onboard

RAID, dual processor support, etc.

It’s been an interesting year, with the assembler gaining the runner up

position, and HP gaining the lead on Compaq at number three. With so much

competition, let’s see who tops next year. May the better server win.

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