INDUSTRY

The University of Edinburgh’s Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC) is holding an international event investigating the potential of two groundbreaking computing architectures: QCDOC and IBM’s Blue Gene. The University of Edinburgh is the only centre in the world to host both systems. Europe’s first IBM e-Server Blue Gene system was delivered to EPCC in December 2004. It is now used by researchers throughout Britain to tackle some of the most challenging puzzles in science. The University installed a QCDOC machine this year, providing one of the world’s most powerful systems dedicated to the numerical investigation of quarks, the fundamental particles that make up 99.9% of ordinary matter. With the growing popularity of the Blue Gene and QCDOC systems, a workshop investigating the full potential of these machines across a wide range of applications is highly topical. The program consists of a one-day tutorial giving the attendees the opportunity to gain hands-on experience on the Blue Gene system. This is followed by a two-day workshop, with presentations from users, developers and programmers utilising both systems. Freddie Moran, IBM Distinguished Engineer and Partnership Executive for IBM with the Scottish Universities said: 'The siting of the Blue Gene eServer at EPCC and the growing links with IBM's Blue Gene team mean Edinburgh has unequalled capacity and potential to tackle the formidable simulation problems involved in disciplines such as systems biology.' Arthur Trew, EPCC Director, said: 'As computer simulation becomes an ever more powerful tool for research in many disciplines, it is increasingly important that leading-edge researchers have access to the most powerful facilities. The arrival of Blue Gene and QCDOC systems in Edinburgh this year has given us a capability unrivalled in any European university. 'This meeting is a valuable opportunity for us to share experiences with other researchers and leading industry players.' The workshop is sponsored by IBM, and will be hosted by EPCC at the National e-Science Centre in Edinburgh. Keynote speakers are drawn from institutions in Europe and the US. QCDOC and Blue Gene: Next Generation of HPC Architecture National e-Science Centre, Edinburgh 4th-6th October, 2005.