Global server shipments jumped in the last three months of 2003, with Linux growth continuing to heat up.

According to analyst IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker, worldwide server unit shipments grew by 22 per cent compared with the same period during the previous year.

Favourable exchange rates were one factor leading to the very strong quarterly results, but the analyst stressed that the market grew three per cent without this help.

Linux servers were identified as one of the hottest growth sectors, generating $960m in quarterly revenues and showing 63.1 per cent growth year-over-year.

Jean S. Bozman, research vice president at IDC's worldwide server group, said in a statement: "Linux server growth continued to accelerate demonstrating that Linux servers are taking on important roles in IT customers' computing infrastructures.

"What began with edge and web-centric workloads is branching out to include HPC and commercial workloads."

Volume servers servers priced at less than $25,000 led the market.

Vernon Turner, group vice president at IDC's worldwide server group, said in a statement: "Volume server capabilities are driving into several tiers of the computing infrastructure.

"It shows that high-end server technology has cascaded into this market, and that infrastructure is being augmented by industry standards and IT is reaping the benefits."

IBM held on to its number one spot in the worldwide server systems market with 37.9 per cent market share in factory revenues, growing by 17.7 per cent compared to the year-ago quarter, driven partially by a 33 per cent growth in its OS/390 business.

Hewlett Packard took the number two spot, according to the analyst, with 25.8 per cent share, growing revenues by 9.4 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2002.