Penguin Computing

Penguin Computing, a subsidiary of SMART Global Holdings (SGH), operates as a key provider of solutions for high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and enterprise data centers. Founded in 1998, the company has established itself by delivering custom-designed, end-to-end solutions that are agnostic to specific technologies, thereby avoiding vendor lock-in for its clients. Its customer base is diverse, encompassing Fortune 500 companies, startups, academic institutions, and federal organizations, including entities like NASA and the U.S. Navy.

The company's business model centers on creating purpose-built computing infrastructure tailored to solve complex problems in science, analytics, and engineering. This includes designing, building, deploying, optimizing, and supporting advanced Linux-based HPC systems. A significant milestone in the company's history was the introduction of Cloud HPC in 2009. This led to the development of Penguin Computing on Demand (POD), a bare-metal, public HPC cloud environment that allows organizations to access supercomputing capabilities without investing in on-premise infrastructure. Revenue is generated through the sale of hardware like servers, storage, and network switches, as well as through its comprehensive services and software platforms.

In June 2018, Penguin Computing was acquired by SMART Global Holdings for up to $85 million, becoming the foundational piece of SGH's new SMART Specialty Compute & Storage Solutions (SCSS) business unit. This acquisition provided Penguin with greater access to capital for investment and growth, while allowing it to continue operating as a standalone brand. The company’s offerings are organized into distinct technology practices, including HPC, AI & Analytics, Data, and Cloud. Its product portfolio features customizable Turn-Key Storage Solutions under the FrostByteTM brand, Open Compute Project (OCP) compliant Tundra systems for HPC clusters, and Scyld ClusterWare software for streamlined management of large server pools.

Keywords: high-performance computing, HPC, artificial intelligence infrastructure, enterprise data center, Linux clusters, cloud computing, bare-metal cloud, custom servers, storage solutions, Scyld ClusterWare, Penguin on Demand, POD, data analytics, scientific computing, federal computing solutions, AI managed services, software defined storage, Open Compute Project, supercomputing, GPU accelerated servers