ENGINEERING

Linux Networx, The Linux Supercomputing Company, announced today that a 2,048-processor cluster system it delivered last year to the Department of Defense (DoD) High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) has been optimized and achieved performance of 10.65 trillion operations per second (teraflops). The system is the most powerful supercomputer at the Army Research Laboratory Major Shared Resource Center (ARL MSRC) and it ranks as the 24th fastest supercomputer in the world according to the Top500. The Linux Networx system, known as the John Von Neumann (JVN), was deployed as part of the Technology Insertion 2004 (TI-04) program, an initiative to modernize the Department of Defense high performance computing (HPC) capabilities. After a successful acceptance with a theoretical peak of 14.7 teraflops, the ARL and Linux Networx team continued to work together to fine tune the system for optimal performance. "What we really have with Linux Networx is a partnership, and we have been working together to optimize the JVN system over the past year for remarkable performance and reliability," said Thomas Kendall, lead systems engineer at the ARL MSRC. "We are impressed that we have been able to achieve an actual performance of 10.65 teraflops and 72 percent efficiency by tuning this machine, but the real value lies in the fact that the system is now a more effective tool for work on DoD's applications." Since it went into production in May 2005, the ARL has utilized JVN to support various applications including electromagnetic, penetration mechanics, and aerodynamics. Electromagnetic codes such as ICEPIC and Monocode scale extremely well on JVN, and a project utilizing ICEPIC has used more than one million processor hours in the last five months. The ICEPIC project supports the design and development of high power microwave sources for the disruption/destruction of electronics. Another project using Monocode studies the improvement of millimeter-wave radar signature prediction for ground vehicles. "JVN provides an increase in computing capability that gives DoD scientists and engineers the ability to solve complex physics-based problems in a shorter timeframe -- thus providing our soldiers with the best technology and weapons systems available and giving them more time for training, enhancing their readiness and potentially saving lives," said Charles J. Nietubicz, director of the ARL MSRC. "Reaching this milestone in partnership with the DoD demonstrates the Linux Networx commitment to helping our customers achieve their supercomputing goals," said Dean Hutchings, president and COO of Linux Networx. "The JVN system was tested extensively at our Solutions Center, and after it was delivered we worked with the ARL to tune it to their exact specifications, which allowed us to achieve this landmark performance. This system helps the ARL solve complex, mission-critical problems faster than ever before." The HPCMP provides the supercomputer services, high-speed network communications, and computational science expertise that enables the U.S. Defense laboratories, such as ARL, to conduct a wide range of focused research, development, and test activities. The Linux Networx system is 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 Linux Networx system includes 2,048 Intel Xeon 3.6 GHz processors and Intel 64-bit extension technology. The system also uses Myrinet high-speed interconnect from Myricom and Gigabit Ethernet technology from Foundry Networks, Inc.