Combining German supercomputing capacities establishes Europe's most powerful computing network: Providing sufficient computing time for computer-based science in Germany and Europe: that is the common denominator behind the decision made by the three German national supercomputing centers. Together they already have a joint computing power of more than 90 teraflops. The memorandum of understanding they have now signed concerns the collaboration between the partners from Stuttgart, Munich and Jülich in the context of the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing. Especially on the international scene, the German supercomputer experts will now cooperate closely and present a common front. "This collaboration represents the foundation of a German national centre for supercomputing", said Prof. Achim Bachem, spokesman of the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Research Centre Jülich. "As the three outstanding German supercomputing centres we represent the most powerful centre in Europe". Together the German partners are aiming to ensure that one of the European supercomputing centres planned on an EU level will be sited in Germany. The Gauss Centre and its European consortial partners are submitting an application in response to the current call for proposals in preparation for a European supercomputer infrastructure. The computers of the Gauss Centre have a joint computing power of 90 teraflops at their disposal, which means they are Europe's largest computer centre. This computing power is distributed among the partners' sites: the High-Performance Computing Centre Stuttgart (HLRS), the Leibniz Computing Centre (LRZ) in Garching near Munich, and the two computers of the John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC) in Jülich. It was possible to achieve this impressive level thanks to substantial funding from the German Federal Government and the federal states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia. By 2009, it is planned to increase the overall performance of the Gauss Centre to far in excess of 1000 teraflops (1 petaflops). The partners will now follow a common direction in their organization. The procurement of hardware will be more closely coordinated, applications for computing time scientifically evaluated on a common basis, and software projects jointly developed. A key area will be training. The work of specialist researchers will be supported and promoted by harmonizing the services available and organizing joint conferences for simulation techniques. Methodologically oriented user support is a major concern of the Gauss Centre. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the responsible ministries of the three federal states unreservedly support the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing, the largest association of high-performance computers in Europe. The high-speed computer network and the scientific cooperation at the three sites is being funded by the BMBF in order to ensure that this leading international position will be maintained in future by means of optimized structures and organization. The three sites are thus making themselves visible throughout Europe and improving their chances of playing a central role in the establishment of a European high-performance computer network, as the BMBF said in its press release. Website of the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing: www.gcfs.eu.