ACADEMIA

SALT LAKE CITY -- Linux NetworX, a leading provider of powerful and easy-to-manage Linux cluster computing solutions, announced today an international partner agreement with German-based Fraunhofer-Institut fur Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathematik (Fraunhofer-ITWM). Fraunhofer-ITWM is the leading research institute for industrial mathematics in Europe. Fraunhofer-ITWM and Linux NetworX will work together to meet the increasing demand for high performance computing (HPC) in Germany. The partnership will include the opening of the Linux NetworX Research Lab in Kaiserslautern, allowing Fraunhofer-ITWM and Linux NetworX to develop new applications and products in cluster technology. The lab will provide European customers access to a 64-node cluster to solve their application problems and deliver application benchmarks. The lab is strategically located to meet the growing need for high performance cluster computing in Europe. With 64 machines listed on the Top 500 Supercomputer List ( www.top500.org ), Germany has more supercomputers than any other European country. "We have been engaged in cluster technology and high performance computing for years to meet the needs of the industry and push technology forward," said Dr. Franz-Josef Pfreundt, division director for Fraunhofer-ITWM and head of the Competence Center for High Performance Computing. "Partnering with Linux NetworX will allow us to combine our outstanding parallel applications with their expertise in cluster technology, otherwise unequaled in Germany." Clustering is a method of linking multiple computers, or compute nodes, together to form a unified and more powerful system. Linux NetworX is in the process of building three systems for national laboratories in the United States that are expected to rank within the top ten supercomputers in the world. "Increasing our market presence through strong partners like Fraunhofer- ITWM is one of our key strategies to grow sales internationally," said Stephen Hill, president and CEO of Linux NetworX. "The Linux NetworX Research Lab reflects our commitment to support customers and develop cluster technology in Europe."