Windows HPC Server 2008, released byMicrosoft on 22 September 2008, is the successor product toWindows Compute Cluster Server 2003. Like WCCS, Windows HPC Server 2008 is designed for high-end applications that require high performance computing clusters (HPC stands for High Performance Computing).^[1] This version of the server software is claimed to efficiently scale to thousands of cores. It includes features unique to HPC workloads: a new high-speed NetworkDirect RDMA, highly efficient and scalable cluster management tools, aservice-oriented architecture (SOA) job scheduler, anMPI library based on open-sourceMPICH2,^[2] and cluster interoperability through standards such as the High Performance Computing Basic Profile (HPCBP) specification produced by theOpen Grid Forum (OGF).^[3]

In June 2008, a system built collaboratively with theNational Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and Microsoft ranked #23 on theTOP500 list, a ranking of the world's fastest supercomputers, with aLINPACK score of 68.5teraflops. The NCSA supercomputer uses both Windows Server HPC andRed Hat Enterprise Linux 4.^[4] By November 2011, that ranking had dropped to #253.^[5] Since then, all Windows computers have dropped off the TOP500 list, and Linux has replaced all other operating systems on the list.

In the November 2008 rankings, published by TOP500, a Windows HPC system built by theShanghai Supercomputer Center achieved a peak performance of 180.6teraflops and was ranked #11 on the list.^[6] In June 2015, that was the last Windows machine left on the list (dropped off later) then ranked 436, just barely made the TOP500 (withWindows Azure dropping off earlier).

Windows HPC Server 2008 R2, also known asWindows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition (codenamed Windows 7 Server) based onWindows Server 2008 R2, was released on 20 September 2010.^[7]

After Windows HPC Server 2008 R2, Microsoft released HPC Pack 2008 R2 in four flavors: Express, Enterprise, Workstation and Cycle Harvesting. Later it simplified the offer by releasing HPC Pack 2012 that combined capabilities of all four versions of HPC Pack 2008 R2. HPC Pack 2012 can be installed on top of anyWindows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter.^[8]

The head node for the HPC-Pack requires Windows Server, however the node computers can be Windows 10 or Windows 11.

• Official website
• Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Technical Library
• Windows HPC Server 2008 Resource KitArchived 27 February 2013 at theWayback Machine

• Windows Server 2008
• Job scheduling
• Grid computing
• Microsoft Windows

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