The Mother of All Linux Servers

Source: OS Opinion

Until a few years ago, the Top 500 list of supercomputers was dominated by proprietary solutions with prices that put high-performance computing (HPC) out of reach for all but the most well-funded institutions and companies.

Then came Linux. The open source OS has gate-crashed the Top 500 list in a big way over the past few years, clocking in with more than 50 entries in the November 2002 survey. These Linux supercomputers are clusters, meaning they are composed of a number of relatively low-end machines working together over a network. But clusters also have some drawbacks, including slower access to data than proprietary solutions.

Can Linux clusters conquer their shortcomings and overtake proprietary supercomputers? SGI (NYSE: SGI), for one, thinks so. The company recently unveiled a new innovation that represents a giant step toward that goal. As a result, the world of supercomputing may soon have a new middleweight, or at least mid-price, champion.