Microsoft scrapes into top 500 supercomputer list, but IBM rules supreme

By Stephen Withers
Thursday, 19 June 2008 05:49

Opinion and Analysis

Sweden's Umea University runs its IBM BladeCenter cluster of 672 blade servers on Windows HPC, the first time the system software has been publicly run on IBM hardware.

Big Blue is enthusiastic: "By working closely together on Windows HPC Server 2008, our customers are already seeing improved efficiency rates," said Dave Jursik, vice president of supercomputer sales at IBM.

"This industry partnership with Microsoft plays a vital role in achieving our goal to create powerful cluster solutions that address the growing needs of researchers such as the scientists at Umea."

Of course, it’s easy for IBM to be so gracious when they otherwise wipe the floor with Microsoft’s efforts.

And just slipping in at number 100 is Germany's Universitaet Aachen/RWTH with a Fujitsu Siemens Primergy cluster.

The release candidate of Windows HPC Server 2008 is to be made available for download in the last week of June.

If only you could get all those old 486 and Pentium machines out of your garage to give the HPC Server 2008 a go! But sadly that will be a firm no-go.

For any super-speedy hardware and performance, forget Microsoft – and look to acquiring a large stack of IBM Cell processors to make your own RoadRunner. Beep Beep!