Compaq still the top federal choice for servers
Connecting state and local government leaders
Compaq Computer Corp. has long been the big cheese in the federal market for servers.
Compaq Computer Corp. has long been the big cheese in the federal market for servers.In a 1997 GCN survey, Compaq's servers held 32 percent of the installed base, twice that of Dell Computer Corp.'s 16 percent share. Hewlett-Packard Co.'s servers trailed at No. 3 with 9 percent of the base.But since then Dell has made it a two-horse race.In the latest GCN telephone survey of trends in LAN hardware, Compaq was still the big cheese, capturing 36 percent of the sample.But now Dell is closing in on Compaq's lead, snagging 33 percent of the base.HP servers slipped in the latest survey, taking only 6 percent of the sample.But wait a minute. HP just announced an $87 billion deal to buy Compaq. On the surface, that will give the new HP-Compaq behemoth a larger slice of the federal server pie.How the merger will affect the portions of the pie in the coming years remains to be seen. Right now, it isn't clear whether Hewlett-Packard will keep Compaq's brand-name server lines. HP and Compaq have said only that the Compaq brand name will survive in certain markets.What is certain is that most current federal users we surveyed are big fans of Compaq's ProLiant server line.For example, an Air Force systems manager in Mesa, Ariz., was one of 88 percent of ProLiant users who rated their servers' overall performance as either excellent or good.Dell servers got even higher praise from users we polled, with 91 percent ascribing an excellent or good rating to their servers.
Hewlett-Packard could provide better technical support for servers.
'A Defense Department computer specialist in St. Louis
'Reliability of switches is my biggest LAN problem.'
'An Agriculture Department database manager in Golden, Colo.
Dell should 'lower their prices' for servers.
'A Defense Department systems manager in Los Angeles
Surveys
The GCN Reader Survey is intended to provide data on trends and product preferences. This survey on LAN servers is based on a telephone survey of 100 federal readers who on their subscription forms identified themselves as network managers.
Hewlett-Packard could provide better technical support for servers.
'A Defense Department computer specialist in St. Louis
'Reliability of switches is my biggest LAN problem.'
'An Agriculture Department database manager in Golden, Colo.
Dell should 'lower their prices' for servers.
'A Defense Department systems manager in Los Angeles
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