InfoWorld: SAN FRANCISCO - It's easy to get the impression that the midrange Unix server is like a boxer near the end of a career - still packing a wallop, just no longer throwing knockout left hooks. But the truth is, new processor architectures, multi-core systems, and the ascension of x86 chips are giving these systems extra punch, and users plenty to think about as they plan their purchasing for the next few years.

Server makers have been rethinking the way they can improve computer performance, and re-evaluating the role played by commodity systems in environments that require high-speed computation. And while clusters of inexpensive Linux machines may be one of the most talked-about technologies in scientific computing, traditional sellers of "midrange" systems, with anywhere from eight to 32 processors, are incorporating new designs and adding products at a pace that shows they have no intention of abandoning the high-performance market -- especially the life sciences market.

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