INTERCONNECTS

Foundry Networks and Level 5 Networks today announced they have partnered to deliver high-performance computing (HPC) solutions as part of Foundry's HPC Ethernet Alliance Program. Together, the companies are helping joint customers free up IT resources in order to focus efforts on productivity and innovation. Foundry's HPC Ethernet Alliance Program is designed to accelerate deployment of high-performance Gigabit Ethernet and 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10-GbE) solutions within the HPC community. As part of the program, Foundry will work closely with Level 5 Networks and with other leading next-generation Ethernet adapter, server and application vendors to deliver standards-based, high-performance HPC solutions for network-based, high-speed applications. As part of the Foundry HPC Ethernet Alliance Program, Foundry and Level 5 Networks will work together in the following areas: -- Interoperability testing and benchmarking of Foundry's Ethernet switches with Level 5 Networks to provide customers with seamless integration and end-to-end performance measurements. -- Cooperative marketing to promote the use of EtherFabric on Gigabit Ethernet and 10-GbE links in HPC environments. -- Cross training on the benefits of an integrated, solutions-based HPC networking approach. "EtherFabric provides customers what they have wanted for a long time -- a low cost, easy-to-deploy performance boost to their existing environment that won't require them to rip out or replace wiring, applications or systems," said Dan Karr, president and CEO of Level 5 Networks. "We are proud to work with Foundry Networks to bring unparalleled speed and reliability to our joint HPC customers, to help speed time to innovation across all industries." "Ethernet is becoming the interconnect of choice for a new generation of high-performance networks, from massively parallel processing supercomputers to commodity clusters and grids built with affordable, off-the-shelf components. As a leading provider of high-performance, low-latency network infrastructure to many leading supercomputing sites around the world, Foundry is working with Level 5 Networks to bring the benefits of Ethernet to the high-performance computing community," said Bob Schiff, vice president of product marketing, Foundry Networks. "With the HPC Ethernet Alliance Program, we are formalizing our longstanding commitment to work with partners to deliver the highest-quality, tested and proven networking solutions to simplify deployments, and ultimately help customers spend less time building and managing their networks and more time on their primary scientific and business mission."