PGC08 Platform Computing is getting into the business of cluster management software for high performance computing (HPC), a move the company hopes will complement its traditional offerings for HPC workload management.

Opening the firm's Platform Global Conference 2008 in Santa Clara, California, CEO Songnian Zhou unveiled its flagship push into the market, the Platform Manage suite.

"It's not a well-formed market," he said. "A variety of different players are just providing pieces of the technology and products."

According to Zhou, the market will consolidate into a few key vendors. And he thinks Platform has the clout to become a major player by offering a more comprehensive lineup of HPC management software.

The company's new Linux cluster management suite centers on Platform Manager 5.7, a re-branding of Scali Manage — bought in with the company's purchase of Scali last October. the newsy bit is that it's now integrated with Platform's workload management software, Platform LSF.

The Platform Manage suite also includes Platform RTM (Report, Track, Monitor), Platform Analytics and Platform VM Orchestrator (VMO). Platform is targeting the software at its usual HPC suspects: Electronics, Industrial Manufacturing, Financial Services, Oil and Gas, Government, and so on.

The individual products can be purchased separately or in a bundle. Platform's previous workload management offerings will be grouped into suite called Platform Accelerate.

And over on the Accelerate side of its products, Platform LSF is getting an upgrade for the occasion.

Platform LSF Update 3 includes improved scheduling policies. The Session Scheduler will be available as an add-on to Platform LSF. ®

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