Supercomputer binge fuels HPC sales
Summary: High-end supercomputer revenue surged ahead of other technical server varieties, according to IDC.
Supercomputer revenue surged in 2011 as nations raced to have the fastest systems and advance their economies, according to IDC.
IDC recapped 2011 high performance computing revenue and supercomputers surged ahead of other technical server varieties. Supercomputers are defined as HPC systems going for more than $500,000. Workgroup HPC systems are sold for less than $100,000. Divisional and departmental systems fill the middle of those two price points.
A few odds and ends worth noting:
- HPC sales in 2011 were up 8.4 percent from 2010 and exceeded IDC expectations.
- Unit shipments fell 6.9 percent, but average selling prices jumped. Translation: Customers are buying larger high-end systems.
- IBM and HP had 32.6 percent and 32.1 percent of the HPC market, respectively, for statistical tie.
- IBM revenue growth in the HPC market was up 19.3 percent in 2011. HP revenue growth was up 9.6 percent.
- Dell is No. 3 in the HPC market with 14.5 percent market share.
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Talkback
So, where's the Apple contribution to the supercomputing industry?
Just kidding, folks.
But, Apple should take it's hoarded cash, and purchase one of the big players; then, they'll be relevant in more than just the iGadgets arena.
Why?
Volume dictates price in this market.
Apple could easily become a player in that arena, by just purchasing
It's a prestigious market, and they could actually put them to good use for research and for "big data", which they now generate with their online properties.
Some day, the iGadgets market will stop performing, and Apple will have to "reinvent" some other sector. Why not a supercomputer entry? Why not "big data"/datamining?
I doubt there's that much money in it unless you are already in servers
So fundamentally I disagree, buying a major player doesn't make you the same as the player. It takes a huge culture shift. That is why mergers like that have such a high failure rate. They don't work. If you merge you must have some synergy.