"Servers [today] are comparable to what PCs were in the '80s, a special unit that needed people to run them," said Omid Rahmat, general manager of operations for Tom's Hardware and editor of Tomshardware.com, a Web site dedicated to testing and reviewing technology. "But there's an opportunity there. As servers become more simple, everyone will have one."

Rahmat cited the home networking market as a prime example. "In Santa Barbara, [Calif.,] currently there's not a single dealer [in the home networking business]. The audio-visual company is doing that," he said. Count on the "Microsoft Device Universe," where all devices are connected to each other, as a probability in the future, he added.

Panel members also cited mobility devices as an emerging market for system builders, although sourcing the necessary components today is difficult, they said.

Although there's increased market demand for notebook systems, "you can't build a notebook," said Bob Schaffer, president of Channel Micro, a system builder in Somerset, N.J.

But Schaffer disagreed with the idea that notebooks will eventually replace desktop systems. "I don't agree that 100 percent of the market will move to notebooks," he said. "I think it will be split. I still see a market for desktop systems."

Steve Plotz, founder and president of Computer System of Tampa, Gibsonton, Fla., said mobility is forcing certain vertical markets--in particular, the legal market--to upgrade their systems. "I see in the legal field there's upgrading happening, and mobility is a large part of that."

Paul Su, president of AOpen America, San Jose, Calif., said more overseas manufacturers are looking at offering components for "portable computers"--systems that are smaller than desktop PCs but larger than notebooks--to the system builder community. "I see the upgrade market as strong," Su said.

For the most part, however, panel members don't see a rush from their customers to upgrade. "There's nothing that's pushing everyone to say, 'I've got to replace my system,' " Schaffer said. "I think we're looking at a three-year [product upgrade] cycle."