Linux to Dominate High Performance Computing in Less than Three Years; Aberdeen Research Finds New Linux Cluster will be the 3rd Most Powerful Computer in the World

Business Wire, Nov 14, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2001

In an InSight released today, Aberdeen Group, a leading market analysis and positioning services firm, states that Linux will dominate most segments of high performance computing (HPC) by 2004. This research is a result of Aberdeen's Linux and Open Source Software practice, which covers emerging and established Linux hardware and software suppliers.

"There is growing interest in Linux clusters for hosting HPC applications because of the relatively large price/performance advantages that clustered Linux systems have over proprietary systems," says Bill Claybrook, Research Director at Aberdeen Group. "With the same amount of money that users are willing to spend on proprietary systems, they often get several times the computing power with Linux clusters."

Today, the high-end of the HPC market is dominated by proprietary systems often running Unix and/or Unix cluster software from large system vendors, such as Compaq, Hewlett Packard, IBM, SGI, and Sun, and large supercomputers such as the T3E from Cray. Aberdeen research indicates that more than 70% of the revenue generated from HPC sales activities comes from the high-performance mid-range and technical servers areas, where systems cost $1M or less. These are the two areas where Linux is expected to rapidly dominate. As growing evidence of the impact that Linux is having on the HPC market, the Top500 list of the world's most powerful computer systems has Linux clusters ranked as the 30th and 31st most power computer systems in the world.

The InSight, entitled "Is Linux Domination of the High Performance Computing Marketplace Imminent?" examines and profiles the primary competitors in the HPC marketplace. Currently, Compaq leads the HPC market share race, but IBM dominates the Top500 list with 200 systems, followed by Sun with 81 systems.

For more information, visit http://www.aberdeen.com/ab_abstracts/2001/11/11010007.htm

About Aberdeen

Since 1988, Aberdeen has been a leader in providing market analysis and positioning services that help business technology suppliers meet the challenge of establishing leadership in fast-changing markets. Aberdeen is headquartered in Boston, MA, and has research divisions in Palo Alto, CA; Fort Collins, CO; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Aberdeen is accessible via the Web at www.aberdeen.com.