Linux thrives, but Windows still dominates in servers

While Windows continues to succeed in the enterprise server marketplace, the various flavours of Linux continue to thrive alongside it.

This was one of the key findings of our Server System Research Survey, which looked at the trends and issues related to server technology.

The independent survey produced by VNU Research in association with Microsoft looked at a range of issues surrounding servers.

The survey took in 200 readers, split equally between Computing and IT Week and all responsible for the selection, implementation and management of server platforms.

Microsoft predictably holds the lions share of the server market in the UK, with 90 per cent of those surveyed having Windows 2000 servers within their organisations, and is particularly popular among smaller businesses, 92 per cent of which have one or more servers running it. The newer Windows 2003 Server also fared well, with 66 per cent of enterprises surveyed already using it, and 46 per cent of small businesses, the latter almost certainly swelled by the release of the Windows 2003 Server-based Small Business Server late last year.

This survey also revealed the high degree of Windows NT4 servers will in place, raising once again the question of continued support for this platform bast the end of this year. 77 per cent of those surveyed still have NT4 servers in use within their organisations.

Linux is making headway as a server platform for custom applications, and for running some large enterprise systems such as Oracle. Nonetheless, the core of its enterprise user base are deploying Linux servers for more straightforward uses such as file and web servers - while continuing to use other systems such as Windows and Solaris alongside for other enterprise applications.

Sun continues to have a strong footing within the enterprise, with 55 per cent of companies having Solaris somewhere in the organisation, while a higher than expected 20 per cent of smaller businesses also using it. Novell's Netware was shown to have lost considerable ground in the enterprise to Windows, Linux and all the various Unix flavours, with 43 percent enterprise use and a reasonable 29 per cent small business, making for 36 per cent overall.

Licensing and support costs remain the biggest concern for IT managers looking to maintain and deploy servers, with up to a quarter of IT staff resources allocated to server management.