In the June 2007 Metal Market report, enterprise-class application server hardware prices from major online vendors scattered from 2006's tight convergence at the $6,000 mark. In this January 2008 report, IBM prices rise considerably while Apple and Dell drop. Include Apple when investigating comparable HP and IBM servers.
The Metal Market
The Metal Market reflects Info-Tech's regular survey of server vendors offering online ordering and customization. According to Info-Tech Indaba research, 52% of Info-Tech IRD members purchase servers from OEMs. Of these server purchases, 25% are conducted online, increasing to nearly 30% when enterprises acquire servers to expand infrastructure.