Windows for Supercomputers Gets a Taste of Pure Horsepower

Windows for supercomputers has got a taste of pure horsepower with a little bit of help from the Chip Ganassi Racing NASCAR team. However, the Microsoft High-Performance Computing solution chosen is not Windows Server HPC 2008 but its predecessor, Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003. But still, for Chip Ganassi Racing, it is an indisputable step forward, as now race simulations only take 30 minutes down from what was until now approximately a day.

"With Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003, we were able to easily put a solution in place that helps our teams better prepare for race day," explained Mark Paxton, research and development engineering manager for the NASCAR team at Chip Ganassi Racing. The simulations are used to determine the configuration of the cars before races.

"With simulation times reduced from 24 hours to about 30 minutes, we now can run multiple simulations for each race and better tune the situations for each car, track and set of track conditions. Faster simulation times give our car teams more time to rerun simulations if issues arise at the track or expected race-day conditions change," Paxton added.

Chip Ganassi Racing will be running Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 on a five-node, high performance computing cluster. In the end, faster simulations will lead to increased car optimization. Paxton praised Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 for its affordability, management options, scalability and adaptability.

"Typical HPC solutions can be costly and complex, but we have designed Windows-based HPC solutions to be cost-effective and easy to deploy, use and manage," confirmed David Graff, U.S. automotive industry solutions director at Microsoft. "Microsoft is making long-term investments in HPC to help automotive and other manufacturing customers create innovative solutions that accelerate insights and ultimately drive business success."