Servers play a monumental yet behind-the-scenes role in running the technology we use every day. Acting as the driving force for networks, websites, applications and more, servers store, process and manage huge volumes of data at lightning speeds, thanks to immense computing power packed into specialized hardware and software.
We have the world‘s largest server vendors to thank for providing the infrastructure that keeps our digital lives running smoothly. Through innovative R&D and strategic technology acquisitions, major IT companies have established commanding positions as go-to server providers.
Read on for an in-depth look at 10 server industry titans based on global market share stats. We‘ll explore their history, specializations, contributions and outlook in a critical hardware sector expected to see steady growth in coming years.
An Evolving Market Led by Longtime Tech Players
Server revenue currently tops $90 billion globally, according to Statista, and should expand at a 5.8% compound annual growth rate through 2028 as more workloads shift to the cloud. AI computing also promises to be a significant driver as advanced new server designs tailor hardware to machine learning demands. Edge data centers are an emerging trend as well, pushing compute power physically closer to end users.
This evolving landscape still sees longtime tech manufacturers dominating server market share. Many originated selling computers and hardware decades ago, adapting server product lines in step with revolutions like networking, the Internet and enterprise computing. Mergers and acquisitions have also defined today‘s vendor rankings, combining legacies of innovation under consolidated corporate banners.
Here is the current breakdown of the world‘s top server sellers and their specialties:
| Rank | Company | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dell Technologies | 19.3% |
| 2 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise | 13% |
| 3 | Super Micro | 5.3% |
| 4 | Inspur | 4.5% |
| 5 | Lenovo | 4.4% |
| 6 | Huawei | 3.2% |
| 7 | IBM | 3.2% |
| 8 | Fujitsu | 3.1% |
| 9 | Cisco | 2.4% |
| 10 | Sugon | 2% |
Now let‘s explore the 10 leading vendors powering enterprise servers across the globe:
10. Sugon – Pioneering China‘s Domestic Tech Industry
Claiming the #10 spot is Chinese manufacturer Sugon, also known as Dawning Information Industry. Established in 1996, Sugon specializes in servers, supercomputers and other computing products marketed within China‘s domestic IT industry.
The company emphasizes homegrown innovation to reduce China‘s dependence on foreign technology. It collaborated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011 to build the Dawning 6000 supercomputer using entirely China-developed processor chips and operating software.
Sugon expanded into international markets starting in 2013 and continues strengthening its server portfolio from headquarters in Beijing, holding approximately 2% global market share.
9. Cisco – Networking Tech Giant Expanding in Servers
Cisco builds servers as part of its leading portfolio of networking and cybersecurity solutions. The American tech stalwart maintains an 19.3% share in Ethernet switches plus strong positions in routers, telepresence, unified communications and more.
As Cisco grows its computing capabilities, it currently claims 2.4% of the server market. Strategic acquisitions like BladeLogic in 2007, Cloupia in 2012, and Springpath in 2017 brought server management and infrastructure tools under the Cisco brand. The company also partners closely with pure server vendors like Fujitsu, Dell and HPE.
8. Fujitsu – Legacy Server Innovator from Japan
Japanese multinational Fujitsu is the country‘s top IT company, active in services, hardware and software across computing products, communications networks and more. Fujitsu built early mainframe computers in 1955 and has over 50 years developing servers suited for enterprise and data center needs.
While today focusing energy on private 5G networks and other emerging tech, Fujitsu maintains a solid server business covering scale-out architectures and mainframes. Combined with aggressive growth on the services side, servers keep Fujitsu in the top 10 with 3.1% market share.
7. IBM – Over a Century of Computing Breakthroughs
IBM‘s current branding touts "smart technology for business" but its history of innovation stretches back to 1911 when it was still producing scales, punch-card tabulators and other machinery as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company.
Servers joined IBM‘s product portfolio in 1952 with the IBM 701, among the first commercial computers meant for scientific use. In following decades IBM solidified itself as an early computing pioneer across hardware, software and services.
After reorganizing its business units over the past decade, IBM retains a position in the server market although enterprise focus shifted towards cloud, security and emerging capabilities like quantum and AI. Ongoing server R&D ensures IBM keeps pace with 3.2% market share.
6. Huawei – Global Hardware Leader Despite Controversy
China‘s Huawei Technologies entered the server business in 2005 focusing on telecom operators, enterprises and data centers. It climbed server market share since then to 3.2% worldwide as part of its core networking equipment offerings.
Huawei expanded into consumer devices like smartphones later on, growing to the world‘s second largest mobile vendor. But conflicts with the U.S. government over security concerns severely impacted access to American technologies and partners.
Banned from sourcing key components like Intel processors, Huawei faces an uncertain future around many product lines, including servers. However its in-house designed Kunpeng and TaiShan series server CPUs power next-gen cloud data centers across China and beyond.
5. Lenovo – Leveraging IBM Legacy for Global Server Growth
Lenovo‘s path to top 5 server vendor originated with entry into the PC market in 1984, then expanded into smartphones, tablets, smart home devices and more. As the #1 PC maker since 2013, Lenovo joined the server industry by acquiring IBM‘s pioneering x86 server portfolio including System x and BladeCenter.
That 2014 purchase catapulted Lenovo to global scale as an enterprise data center supplier. Building on world-class IBM server IP, Lenovo now covers rack, tower, blade, density-optimized and high-performance computing models. Partnering with ecosystem leaders like SAP, Nutanix and Microsoft strengthens Lenovo‘s full-stack capabilities.
Riding server share now at 4.4%, this chaebol (Korean conglomerate) turned Chinese tech giant expects to become the world‘s largest server maker based on future trends around AI, big data, cloud and edge computing.
4. Inspur – China‘s Rising Server Powerhouse
Inspur Information Technology traces its origin to a Shandong-based company building China‘s first mini-computer in the 1970s. After reorganizing as Inspur in 2002, the company found success as a major supplier within China‘s booming internet infrastructure industry.
Inspur remains focused on next-gen IT hardware, specifically servers, storage, cloud data centers and AI. It continues heavy investment in R&D to drive highly customized servers for emerging workloads. This fuels Inspur‘s expansion on the international stage, claiming 4.5% market share to date.
Major partnerships add momentum as Inspur collaborates with Nvidia, Intel and leading software platform providers. State sponsorship of homegrown technology doesn‘t hurt either as Inspur answers China‘s call for self-reliant computing capabilities.
3. Super Micro – Specialist Focused Exclusively on Servers
Proclaiming "We Keep IT Green", Supermicro separates itself from giants like Dell and HPE by exclusively manufacturing servers, storage and networking hardware. Based in San Jose, California, Supermicro founders brought a combined 50 years expertise designing high-end motherboards and chassis when starting up in 1993.
Early traction came from selling barebone server components, allowing custom configurations ideal for complex computing deployments. Supermicro later expanded into fully integrated racks plus blades, storage and more recently networking hardware tailored for modern data center demands.
Strong customer orientation and sustainable manufacturing help Supermicro capture 5.3% of surging server demand. Partner ecosystems with Intel, AMD and leading software vendors also boost Supermicro‘s growth potential.
2. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) – Global Conglomerate with Roots in Instrumentation
When considering HPE‘s current dominance as the #2 server maker with 13% market share, it‘s amazing to think its origins trace back to founding in a Palo Alto garage in 1939 by two Stanford engineer friends.
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard built an impressive enterprise based on electrical engineering and precise measurement equipment. As the computer revolution took off in following decades, the company expanded into calculators then various computing products including servers for growing business IT needs.
After splitting in two in 2015, the enterprise side HPE continues driving server innovations with expert focus on automation, security and optimized workloads. Close partnerships with Pure Storage, Nvidia and leading software companies cement HPE‘s central role orchestrating complex business infrastructure.
1. Dell Technologies – Established Server Leader via Major Acquisitions
Like HPE, Dell Technologies as currently structured is the result of strategic business moves to tightly align server manufacturing within larger portfolios of IT solutions. First founded by Michael Dell in 1984 selling PCs from his college dorm room, the company is now a $101 billion tech conglomerate.
A pivotal moment came in 2016 when privately held Dell acquired ‘fellow old timer‘ EMC Corporation in the biggest tech merger ever, worth $67 billion. This united Dell‘s consumer and business hardware lines with EMC‘s enterprise storage leadership.
EMC itself had steadily grown via mergers and takeovers like RSA, VMware, Pivotal Software and VirtuStream. With total control of these new assets, Dell Technologies now dominates corporate computing as the top server company with formidable 19.3% market share.
Servers Are the Foundation for Our Digital Lives
This overview of the 10 largest global server vendors only scratches the surface of everything that goes into designing, manufacturing and maintaining today’s data center hardware. We can expect continuing advances as long-time players and new entrants bring fresh innovations to this foundational IT market.
Edge computing, sustainability and artificial intelligence represent crucial trends to monitor as requirements evolve for the server platforms running the world’s digital infrastructure. While merger mania has consolidated corporate powerhouses so far, disruptors armed with new chip architectures, software tools and more could shake up the server status quo.
