A recent IDC report showed Linux servers continuing to increase market share for x86 architecture with a second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, but the bigger news could be Microsoft's even bigger surge with Windows Server 2003.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant's Server 2003 showed modest gains in Q1, with IDC reporting that Microsoft Windows Server revenue was $4.8 billion in Q1. This number represents 10.4% year-over-year growth and a gain of 1.9 points of revenue market share over the same period in 2006. Windows encompassed 38.8% of all server revenue in Q1 of 2007.
However, the most noteworthy accomplishment for Microsoft was that -- according to IDC -- this was the first quarter since that firm started tracking Linux server spending in 1998 that Windows Server revenue grew faster than Linux server revenue. IDC noted Linux server revenue reached $1.6 billion, which represented growth of 10%.