If you haven’t heard — and that’s likely the case — HPC-centric unified-computing startup Liquid Computing is winding down its operations. This might not seem like too big a deal, but, as GigaOM’s Stacey Higginbotham wrote a few months back, Liquid Computing offers a software-based alternative to the integrated appliances hardware vendors are pushing for unified computing environments. Assuming the company’s assets are sold, it will be really interesting to see who buys them. The solution has application outside HPC, for sure, and I wonder if a networking vendor  will buy the IP to boost its competitive stance against Cisco and company. Your thoughts?