14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has made available for download a new version of its Windows operating systems for supercomputers. The Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Suite Evaluation is now up for grabs via the Microsoft Download Center, with little information available from the Redmond company on just what does this release brings to the table. One thing is for sure, with this build, Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 can be connected closely with the Windows 7 client, so much so in fact, that the new version of Windows for the HPC (high performance computing) market can leverage the latest iteration of the Windows client for additional power.
“Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Suite provides enterprise-class tools, performance, & scalability for a highly productive HPC environment. The Suite provides a complete & integrated cluster environment including the OS, HPC Job Scheduler, Message Passing Interface v2 (MPI2) and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) interactive application support, cluster management & monitoring, the ability to distribute Excel calculations, and the ability to harness idle Windows 7 workstations,” the software giant stated.
At the end of June 2010, Microsoft made available for download the Release Candidate of Windows HPC Server 2008 R2, the successor of the plain vanilla Windows HPC Server 2008. At that time, a member of the HPC team at Microsoft made it clear that it was the last chance that early adopters testing the bits got to provide the company with feedback that would influence the development process.
“Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Suite has two components:
The Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition operating system. A version of the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system designed for use in an HPC cluster. The HPC Pack 2008 R2 Enterprise application. HPC Pack 2008 R2 Enterprise provides the job scheduling, cluster management, and other features that make the WIndows HPC Server 2008 R2 Suite an excellent HPC cluster solution,” Microsoft explained.
Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Suite Evaluation is available for download here. Follow me on Twitter @MariusOiaga.