Rackable

About Rackable

Rackable Systems, Inc. was founded in 1999 and specialized in server and storage products for large-scale data center deployments. The company designed high-density, rack-mounted servers with an open architecture, utilizing standard components from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices. This approach was intended to offer benefits in density, thermal efficiency, and serviceability, reducing both initial acquisition and maintenance costs for its clients. Rackable Systems went public in June 2005.

A significant turning point in the company's history occurred on April 1, 2009, when it announced an agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of the then-bankrupt Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) for an initial price of $25 million. The deal was finalized on May 11, 2009, for a total of $42.5 million. Following this strategic acquisition, Rackable Systems rebranded itself, adopting the name Silicon Graphics International and using the SGI brand. The move was aimed at leveraging SGI's strong international brand recognition and its legacy in high-performance computing (HPC). The former Rackable Systems' CEO, Mark Barrenechea, continued as the chief executive of the new SGI.

Under the new SGI brand, the company integrated product lines from both entities, combining Rackable's x86 cluster computing products with SGI's established portfolio, which included the Altix and InfiniteStorage brands. This created a more comprehensive offering for the HPC, internet, cloud computing, and large-scale data storage markets. The company served a diverse client base that included commercial, government, and scientific sectors. The journey of Silicon Graphics International concluded on November 1, 2016, when it was acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) for approximately $275 million, a move by HPE to strengthen its position in the high-performance computing and big data analytics markets.