Businesses may face problems switching from desktops to HPCs
Large and small companies choosing to switch from desktop computers to high performance computing (HPC) servers will need to overcome a number of obstacles, according to new research.
Research firm IDC and the Council on Competitiveness explained that businesses adopting
HPC for technical computing activities and product design will reap major competitive benefits.
The pair found that 57 per cent of firms have problems that cannot be solved by desktop computing alone. Although 34 per cent saw the benefits of implementing HPC, they admitted they would not be
able to do so because of one or more major barriers.
The three largest problems included: uncertainty about the availability of software to run on HPC servers, lack of staff skilled in HPC hardware and software systems, and cost constraints. Only ten per
cent of companies had plans to implement HPC solutions in the near future.
"HPC is a game-changing technology and earlier Council studies confirm that it is essential to the business survival of the companies that have embraced it," said Suzy Tichenor, vice president
of the Council on Competitiveness.
Super Micro Computer, a provider of application-optimised high performance server solutions, recently launched a 20GB/s, low-latency
InfiniBand (communications link between processors and high performance input/outputs) connectivity solution for HPC servers.
© Adfero Ltd