Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown University on Friday unveiled a new supercomputer that is the most powerful machine of its kind in Rhode Island.

The multimillion-dollar IBM computer will be used by scientists at Brown and other educational institutions in Rhode Island to assist research in so-called "grand challenge" problems in medicine, the environment, energy and other complex fields.

"I think it will really spur things and make things go forward very, very fast in ways we never imagined," said Clyde Briant, vice president for research at Brown.

The computer is 50 times more powerful than any machine Brown had before and is equivalent to about 5,000 ordinary desktop computers, said Jan Hesthaven, director of the Center for Computation and Visualization at Brown.

Governor Carcieri attended the ribbon cutting as did Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline.

The governor said the supercomputer will advance research in the state and boost knowledge industries such as biotechnology.

"We need to reposition the economy of this state," he said."We need a different dimension to the economy. Research and innovation will be at the core of that."

The new supercomputer - with a total of 1,440 microprocessors - is based on three IBM iDataPlex systems, equal to the size of six refrigerators; an IBM Cluster 1350; and multiple IBM storage systems running General Parallel File System, supported by IBM Global Services.

These are some highlights of the system:

-- Operates at a peak performance speed of more than 14 teraflops, nearly 50 times faster than what had been available at Brown.

-- Has 390 terabytes of storage capacity and holds 4.5 terabytes of memory, about 70 times more memory than what had been available at Brown.

--Allows parallel programs to be run, that, in aggregate, are 20 times faster than what had been available at Brown. Researchers can now compute a problem that is 20 times larger in the same time.

-- Is six times more energy efficient than what had been available at Brown.

 Tags  Brown University knowledge economy supercomputer

Comments

Hope said:

..."a new supercomputer that is the most powerful machine of its kind in Rhode Island".

wow.

Link | November 20, 2009 2:55 PM
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RITaxpayer said:

Oh sure, it has teraflops and terabytes but...does it have an 'undo' key?

Link | November 20, 2009 3:11 PM
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Uh Ha said:

Now if they could just get those rowdy party goers under control...

Link | November 20, 2009 3:20 PM
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pod said:

I understand that a machine of this capacity was required to keep track of the state'e spiraling debt. It is rumored that his machine is "smarter" than many of the legislators on Smith Hill whose memory seems flawed as they pile deficit upon deficit. I also understand that the machine was partilly funded by the Alfred E. Neuman foundation whose portrait is on the hill and whose slogan "what me worry?" will soon be embroidered on the state flag.

Link | November 20, 2009 3:54 PM
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Joe said:

So now lets see how long till they can some some issue with this multi-million dollar computer.

Link | November 20, 2009 4:26 PM
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