Dell has overtaken IBM to become the number two in world sales of PC servers, and could soon be snapping at Compaq's heels, according to figures from IDC. The online direct seller's success is down to acceptance of the PowerEdge brand -- launched in September 1996. Since that year, Dell has seen its worldwide share shoot up 475 per cent to a current 15.4 per cent -- double the rate of the market's own growth. In the US, the company now owns 25.7 per cent of the server market. This impressive success had been achieved on the back of a heavy uptake of servers for ecommerce and Web-based needs. Famous as a direct-selling Internet company, Dell was always going to be the first to benefit, but its growth has surpassed expectations. You can bet Compaq is watching very closely. ®