Definition
High performance computing (HPC) is computing performed on a large cluster of servers to reduce the time needed to perform a large computational or analytical task. “The main principle involved in HPC is parallel processing, in which any given task and/or portion of data is divided among multiple compute-nodes that then work simultaneously to arrive at a given solution, hence reducing the overall time-to-results” (Arora, Esteva, & Trelogan, 2014). Cloud computing has made high performance computing more accessible because it has reduced the cost of purchasing and/or managing multiple servers.
Further Resources
Arora R, Esteva M, & Trelogan J. (2014). Leveraging High Performance Computing for Managing Large and Evolving Data Collections(link is external). International Journal of Digital Curation, 9(2). doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v9i2.331