New Linux Clustesr Help DoD Simulate Battlefield

SALT LAKE CITY, August 17, 2004 -  Linux Networx announced today that two Department of Defense (DoD) high performance computing centers have each received a 256-processor Evolocity Linux Networx cluster computing system. The cluster procurement is part of the Technology Insertion 2004 (TI-04) program, an initiative to continually modernize the Department of Defense high performance computing (HPC) capabilities.
 

The US Air Force’s Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) and the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) Major Shared Resource Center (MSRC), both centers of the DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP), are recipients of the two Evolocity cluster systems.
 

 
Joint Forces Command (J9) will utilize the clusters to simulate combat operations on a world-wide virtual battlefield. Military personnel at J9, and other distributed sites around the country, will interact directly with the computers at MHPCC and ASC as they participate in large scale, high resolution simulations not possible before the delivery of the new cluster computers.  For example, the clusters can simulate moving 3,000 U.S. troops among 1 million civilian vehicles.

 
“Our selection methods are rigorous to ensure the technology we adopt is reliable, robust and mature enough to support our demanding environments,†said Major Kevin Benedict, Program Manager at MHPCC. “The Linux cluster from Linux Networx has proven to be a high productivity system and is helping the HPCMP achieve our computing objectives.â€

 
The HPCMP provides the supercomputer services, high-speed network communications, and computational science expertise that enables the U.S. Defense laboratories, such as MHPCC and ASC, to conduct a wide range of focused research, development, and test activities. The Linux Networx clusters are a part of this partnership to put advanced technology in the hands of U.S. armed forces more quickly, less expensively, and with greater certainty of success.

 
The clusters delivered to MHPCC and ASC MSRC are part of a larger contract Linux Networx won with the DoD earlier this year to deliver a total of six cluster computer systems to DoD HPCMP centers, including a 2,132-processor system Linux Networx is building for the Army Research Laboratory. Both Linux Networx clusters delivered to MHPCC and ASC MSRC include 256 dual Intel Xeon 3.06 GHz processors, disk storage from DataDirect, Gigabit Ethernet technology and Clusterworx and Icebox management tools from Linux Networx.

 
“The fact that the Department of Defense is using Linux clusters in a production environment is a significant step forward for this technology,†said Jeff Graham, Deputy Director at the ASC MSRC.  “Linux Networx focuses on delivering high productivity clusters, and we are excited about the current and potential future contributions clusters are making in servicing the HPCMP’s customer base.â€

 
About Linux Networx
Linux Networx enables enterprises to accelerate product development and research by improving the performance and reducing the cost of high performance computing. The company’s computing systems are used for simulation, analysis and modeling. Through its innovative Evolocity hardware, ICE cluster management tools and professional service and support, Linux Networx provides end-to-end clustering solutions. To date, the company has built some of the fastest cluster systems in the world, and boasts numerous Fortune 500 customers. For more information about Linux Networx, visit www.linuxnetworx.com.

 
About the HPCMP
The DoD HPCMP is committed to delivering world-class commercial, high-end, high performance computational capability to the DoD’s science and technology and test and evaluation communities, facilitating the rapid application of advanced technology into superior warfighting capability.  The HPC Modernization Program accomplishes its mission by acquiring world-class, commercially available high performance computers; buying and developing software tools and programming environments; expanding and training the DoD user base; linking users and computer sites via high speed networks; and exploiting the best ideas, algorithms, and software tools of the national HPC infrastructure.  For further information about the program, please visit:  www.hpcmo.hpc.mil.
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