High-performance computing (HPC) refers to the practice of combining computing power in such a way as to provide much higher performance than can be obtained on a conventional computer or workstation. This allows you to solve and analyze complex tasks and research that require a large amount of data.
The evolution of high-performance computing
The first supercomputers of the 1960s and 1970s were specialized and expensive, but they laid the foundation for the more affordable and powerful computing clusters that we see today.
Modern high-performance computing systems often consist of thousands of clusters of computers working in tandem. These clusters are interconnected by high-speed networks, often have a large amount of memory and specialized hardware accelerators, such as GPUs.
Application of high-performance computing
Scientific research. High-performance computing systems help solve large-scale tasks from modeling the origin of the universe to predicting climate change.
Business and finance. In the business world, high-performance computing helps in risk analysis, financial modeling, and even in the development and testing of new products.
Healthcare. High-performance computing plays an important role in genomic research, drug discovery, and personalized medicine, giving hope for more effective treatments.
Comparison of HPC and traditional computing
If an ordinary computer is enough to solve everyday tasks, such as browsing the web or working with text, then high-performance computing systems are designed to solve more complex tasks.