Two of the most dynamic, high-performance companies in the world joined forces this week when Ferrari SpA decided to use Microsoft Corp.'s newest high-performance computing (HPC) technology to push the boundaries of automotive engineering, design and development.

Two of the most dynamic, high-performance companies in the world joined forces this week when Ferrari SpA decided to use Microsoft Corp.'s newest high-performance computing (HPC) technology to push the boundaries of automotive engineering, design and development.

Ferrari's sport department is one of the first companies to test Microsoft's new high-performance computing system -- Windows HPC Server 2008. With broad industry support from its partners and customers, Microsoft is demonstrating the impact of high-performance computing in the automotive sector.

New technology in HPC can be an invaluable tool to help maximise efficiency, analyse risk and provide a lever for growth. Working in close collaboration, Microsoft and Ferrari have developed a high-performance solution for one of the most demanding industries. Windows HPC Server 2008 dramatically decreases deployment times, improving the ability for firms to bring new products to market.

"Ferrari is always looking for the most advanced technological solutions, and of course, the same applies for software and engineering," said Piergiorgio Grossi, head of information systems at Ferrari. "We are always focused on scouting new technologies that can give us a competitive advantage. Windows HPC Server 2008 is very promising, and the long-lasting collaboration with Ferrari will give directions to develop a fast, familiar, high-performance computing platform for our users, engineers and administrators."

"Companies have to be more efficient than ever with IT resources, but they also need to maintain their position in a competitive marketplace," said Chris Philips, general manager of the Windows Server and Solutions group at Microsoft. "They require HPC solutions that deploy quickly, integrate in a heterogeneous environment and scale from workstation to cluster."

"The launch of Windows HPC Server 2008 is just another step in our vision to drive HPC mainstream," said Bill Laing, corporate vice president of the Windows Server and Solutions group at Microsoft.

With the introduction of Windows HPC Server 2008, high-performance computing in the automotive industry is now poised to drive major improvements in the following:

• Speed to market.

• Predicting and preventing defects.

• Improving collaboration.

• Automating previously complex and arcane systems.

• Gathering real-time information from vehicles on the road.

The development of Windows HPC Server 2008 means that high-performance computing -- once confined to CIA code-breaking and Pentagon war games -- is about to become as readily available to auto designers and engineers as laptop programs. The automotive industry is entering a period of profound transformation, where high-performance computing capabilities will be at the desk-side of those who innovate and test consumer vehicles, rather than confined to just large, expensive and time-consuming centralised computer-room operations.

Microsoft is delivering HPC solutions to top-tier European businesses and institutions in the automotive, oil and gas, financial services, and academic sectors, taking on some of the biggest clusters and demonstrating the broad ecosystem of the platform. In addition, Microsoft is entering into partnerships with major providers in the supercomputing space, such as Advanced Micro Devices Inc, Cray Inc, Dell and HP.

Demand for HPC is being driven by a combination of increased performance in processors per compute node, low acquisition price per node, and the overall price and performance of compute clusters. These trends are driving new customers to adopt HPC to replace or supplement live, physical experiments with computer-simulated modelling, tests and analysis.