Microsoft high-performance computing debut a month away

First operating system aimed at supercomputing sector slated for summer release

Microsoft has posted a release candidate of Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 and is now just five weeks or so away from its first operating system aimed at the supercomputing sector.

Originally scheduled for last year, as the name suggests, the product will be aimed at an array of high-performance computing (HPC) tasks. As well as the traditional HPC territory such as scientific and visualisation programs, Microsoft envisages broader use for financial analysis, image-editing and other areas.

Systems will be based on AMD and Intel processors with 64bit extensions.