IDC's Worldwide Computing Platforms Taxonomy, 2024

IDC's Worldwide Computing Platforms Taxonomy

• Figure: Computing Platforms Primary Segments

Computing Platforms Taxonomy Changes for 2024

Taxonomy Overview

Definitions

• Computing Platforms

• Top-Level Classification: Classical Versus Nonclassical Computing

• Classical Computing

• User-Centric Computing

• Network-Centric Computing

• Neuromorphic Computing

• Quantum Computing

• Segmenting Classical Computing Platforms: Workflow

• Figure: Computing Platforms and Systems Segmentation: Workflow

• Primary Access

• User-Centric Computing Platforms

• Network-Centric Computing Platforms

• Figure: Network-Centric Computing Platforms and Systems Form Factors: Classification

• Form Factors

• Small Form Factor Racks and Non-Rack Form Factors

• Medium-Sized Rack-Based Form Factors

• Large Standalone Rack-Scale Form Factors

• Functionality

• Fixed Function (Single Workload)

• Variable Function (Multi-Workload)

• Packaging Flexibility

• General-Purpose Platforms

• Purpose-Built Platforms

• Appliances

• Note on Operating System Environments

• Computing Platforms and Systems Primary Segments: Form Factors

• Figure: Network-Centric Computing Platforms and Systems Form Factors: Segment View

• Small Form Factor Racks and Non-Rack Form Factors

• Mini-ITX

• MicroATX

• Microservers

• Small Form Factor Racks

• Tower Servers

• Workstations

• Personal Workstations

• Datacenter Workstations

• Medium-Sized Rack-Based Form Factors

• Rack Optimized

• Modular Servers

• Modular — Blade Servers

• Modular — Multinode Servers

• Custom Rack-Based Servers

• Table: Examples of Computing Platforms

• Expansion Units

• Compute Expansion Units

• Storage Expansion Units

• Large Standalone Rack-Scale Form Factors

• Large Systems

• Custom Systems

• Mapping Form Factor to Enterprise Infrastructure and Server Trackers

• Table: Server Product and Product Detail Comparison

• Computing Platforms and Systems Primary Segments: Deployment

• Figure: Computing Platforms and Systems Deployment Stack

• Endpoint Computing Platforms (Endpoints)

• Core Computing Platforms (Servers)

• Edge Computing Platforms (Edge Platforms)

• Heavy Edge Platforms

• Light Edge Platforms

• Packaged/Intelligent Systems

• Differentiating Between Core, Edge, and Endpoints

• Table: Attributes of Core, Edge, and Endpoint

• Figure: Computing Platforms and Systems Deployment Stack: Segment View

• Additional Computing Platforms Attributes

• Figure: Additional Computing Platforms Attributes

• Computing Complication

• Standalone (Discrete)

• Integrated (System on a Chip)

• Accelerated (Offload)

• Workload or Function (Offload) Accelerators

• Disaggregated/Distributed

• Primary Processor Architecture

• Table: Examples of Primary Processor Architecture: Processor Vendors and Processors

• x86/x64

• Arm 32/64

• Complex Instruction Set Computer

• Reduced Instruction Set Computer

• Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing

• Other

• RISC-V

• European Processor Initiative

• Primary Processor Attributes

• Socket Capability

• Processor Count

• Core Count

• Processor Capability

• Platform Class and Price Bands

• Table: Server Class and Price Band

• Availability

• AL1 (No Special Provisions)

• AL2 (Workload-Balancing Servers)

• AL3 (Clustered Servers)

• AL4 (Fault-Tolerant Servers)

• Media and Memory

• Memory

• Persistent Memory

• Storage-Class Memory

• NAND Flash

• Rotational/Magnetic Media (Hard Disk Drives)

• Convergence and Scaling

• Standalone Platforms

• Integrated Infrastructure Systems and Platforms

• Hyperconverged Systems

• Composable/Disaggregated Systems

• Parallelized Systems (Clusters)

• Interfaces (Adapters), Interconnects, and Fabrics

• Storage and Networking Systems as Variants of Computing Platforms

• Figure: Storage and Network Systems as a Variant of Computing Platforms

• Cooling Options for Computing Platforms

• Figure: Air and Liquid Cooling Approaches

Related Markets

Learn More

• Methodology

• Table: Research Domains Summary

• Market Measurements

• Shipments

• Vendor Revenue and Value

• Average System Price

• Installed Base

• Server Retirement Rate

• Related Research

• Synopsis