As an Apple Proprietary Solutions Provider and developer of the Yellow Dog Linux for PowerPC, Terra Soft Solutions provides a unique, integrated turn-key solution to Lockheed Martin which meets the Navy’s requirements for form-factor, density, performance, and use of Linux.
Since March, Terra Soft has provided software engineering and support services which include device driver enhancements, kernel development, tuned firmware allowing serial (RS-232) port-based control; performance testing, and management of third party engineering and systems integration.
Terra Soft will provide support and development services to the Lockheed Martin engineering staff on the units provided under this contract.
Kai Staats, co-founder and CEO of Terra Soft states, “This brings to fruition two years of effort with an intense recent six months of research, coordination, prototype development and testing — a great deal of hands-on collaboration with the Lockheed Martin engineering team. We are proud to implement Yellow Dog Linux in this capacity, to provide a solution trusted by both Lockheed Martin and United States Navy.”
United States Navy submarines utilize on-board HPC clusters for the realtime image processing. These systems are revised and upgraded on a rotational basis. Lockheed Martin has chosen to move with the Apple Xserves and Yellow Dog Linux. This combination provides a solution twice as dense, less power consumptive, and higher performance than the previous solution at a similar cost.
“Terra Soft’s Red Hat-based OS currently provides an optimal balance of open-source flexibility, AltiVec-enhanced performance, and community support,” states Joe Fanto, lead project engineer for Lockheed Martin.
The full 260 units recently ordered by Lockheed Martin will be delivered by the close of October 2003. This marks the largest Apple VAR Xserve sale to date.
About Terra Soft Solutions, Inc.
Terra Soft is a leading developer of integrated solutions for PowerPC and the top-selling Apple Authorized Proprietary Solutions Provider. Yellow Dog Linux has boosted viability of PowerPC microprocessors with support for desktop, embedded, and HPC systems. Black Lab is an advanced, scalable, HPC cluster build and management suite.
