This IDC study (which is a translation of the Japanese report IDC #J10290101) analyzes the shipment trends and the vendor competitive landscape in the Japan blade server market in 1H09 (January–June). The results of our analysis using the IDC Leadership Grid show wide gaps in "Ability to Gain Share" among the five leading vendors in the Japan blade servers market.
"The Japan blade servers market registered its first negative YoY revenue growth rate in 1H09 due to the economic slump. However, blade servers remain a market with strong potential for growth. To increase the sale of blade servers, vendors should identify their target customer groups. In addition, they should shore up their lineups of products that meet the needs of their target customers, sales support for partners, and education/training on blade servers for partners," says Kazuhiko Hayashi, research manager, Servers, IDC Japan.