INDUSTRY

18th International Supercomputer Conference ISC2003, HEIDELBERG, Germany -- Visual Numerics Inc., a leading provider of numerical analysis and visualization software, and NEC Corporation (NEC), today announced the general availability of Visual Numerics' latest IMSL(TM) Fortran Library version 5.0 for the NEC SX-6 Supercomputer, the first comprehensive mathematical library available for the world's fastest supercomputer. In high-performance computing, software availability for advanced systems, such as the SX-6, often lags behind the availability of the computing platform and slows the turnaround of applications. The combination of the IMSL Fortran Library with the NEC SX-6 provides customers in advanced science and research organizations with more speed and flexibility to develop mathematical and statistical applications, resulting in faster time to market. The IMSL Fortran Library integrates the trusted IMSL F90 library and parallel processing features with the IMSL FORTRAN 77 mathematics and statistics library into a single package. By optimizing the IMSL Fortran Library for the NEC SX-6, Visual Numerics and NEC create a foundation for large-scale applications in which organizations can move their applications from a lower-end development system to the SX-6 without significant modifications to the application. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) already purchased the IMSL Fortran Library for the NEC SX-6 to use in their high-end science laboratories. "The combination of Visual Numerics' mathematical and statistical expertise with NEC's high-end computing power will help us quickly develop research applications for critical, data-intensive needs in fields such as computational chemistry and astrophysics," said Minsu Joh, Head of the Supercomputing Application Technology Department, KISTI Supercomputing Center. "Availability of the latest version of IMSL Fortran Library on the NEC high-end HPC system SX-6 vector parallel supercomputer, further strengthens NEC's position as a solution provider for high-performance computing," said Makoto Tsukakoshi, general manager of HPC Marketing Promotion Division, NEC Corporation. "With the mathematical and statistical capabilities in the IMSL Fortran Library and the power of the SX-6 vector system, we can help organizations with drug research, development of nuclear fusion and atomic energy, as well as more challenging specialties such as the development of new post-genomic drugs and the development of highly functional materials using nano-technology." "Given that NEC develops the world's fastest supercomputer, the availability of the IMSL Fortran Library on the unparalleled SX-6 platform gives Visual Numerics a competitive edge in the numerical analysis software market," said Phil Fraher, COO of Visual Numerics. "This latest release of IMSL for the NEC SX-6 expands our 15 year relationship with NEC, and continues our tradition of providing the most comprehensive high performance mathematical solutions to our customers."