IDC: Windows dominates Linux in servers, not just the desktop

Some Linux fans will have you believe that even though Windows dominates the desktop, Linux is closing in on Microsoft in the server market. New research from IDC shows that it's not so: Windows beats Linux when it comes to servers by well over a three-to-one margin, as it has for at least a year.

IDC recently issued a report about worldwide server use, which primarily focused on server hardware, with IBM in the lead, followed by HP, Dell, Sun, and Fujitsu.

Just as interesting are the figures for market share by operating system. The research shows that Windows Server had a 73.9% market share for the fourth quarter of 2009, with Linux at 21.2%. Those numbers are precisely the same -- down to the tenth of a percentage point -- as they were a year previous.

When it comes to revenue, Windows cleans up as well, with nearly $5.4 billion in revenue for the quarter, compared to a little over $1.9 billion in revenue for Linux.

The upshot? Windows doesn't just dominate the desktop, but the server market as well, and shows no signs of slowing up.