Server Sales Surge

Sales of powerful computers that are the backbone of the Web jumped to 1.1 million in the fourth quarter, up 21% from a year earlier, even as the tech sector slumped and many Internet companies collapsed, according to preliminary data from market research firm Dataquest. The growth pushed 2000 server shipments to 3.9 million units, an increase of 14% over 1999, said Dataquest, a unit of GartnerGroup.