Though the tech sector is going through a rough time, servers continue to represent an active market in Canada, according to recent IDC Canada numbers.
Active, but not likely to see much growth in 2001, added Alan Freedman, research manager of servers and storage for the Toronto-based market research firm.
“In Q1 (the first quarter), comparing it year over year, there was still quite a bit of growth because Q1 2000, was a slow quarter because of the year 2000 (bug),” said Freedman.
“People hadn’t opened up their budgets for capital spending until at least late first quarter, if not second quarter. So we had US$365 million in Q1 and US$310 million in Q1 last year.”
According to last year’s overall revenue numbers, IBM sits in the number one spot, with about a 33 per cent share. Following 10 points behind is Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Computer Corp. is third at 17 per cent.
Chris Pratt, national sales and marketing manager at IBM Canada in Markham, Ont., said that sheer size helped them weather turns in the market.
“I don’t want to presumptuous and talk about how we lead the pack and everything,” he said. “We have a broad product line so that we can be all things to a lot of people, so we are not impacted by downturns in part of the economy.”