Computational Philanthropy - The World Community GridWritten by Martin Winer
Have you ever wondered what your computer does when you're not there to provide it with stimulation? On Windows, it runs a process called 'System Idle Process'. Doesn't sound very intellectually challenging does it? As far as an intellectual challenge, let’s not flatter ourselves either: To our computers we move at speed of molasses in winter.Well what if your computer could be running software that benefited humanity in its ample spare time? That is precisely task World Community Grid offers your computer when you aren't using it. Currently, World Community Grid is looking to dramatically shorten Human Proteome Folding Project. This is a project that could take years even on most powerful supercomputer. The answer is to take advantage of parallelization (using many computers at once) to dramatically shorten this computational time. Many of us have heard of Human Genome Project that recently completed a map of all human genes. In order for that information to be useful, scientists seek to understand how proteins that those genes code for are formed in a process called protein folding. It is shape of proteins that determine their bio-chemical properties. Knowledge of protein folding could, one day, be used in dramatic treatments of all diseases.
| | HPC Systems, Inc. Announces First 8-Way Processor AMD Opteron™ ServerWritten by Andrew Oh
San Jose, CA November 16, 2004 –- HPC Systems, Inc. announces availability of A5220HS Server, industry’s first 8 Processor AMD Opteron™ based Server utilizing HTX-PRO™ technology by Iwill USA Corporation. This technology allows AMD64 Direct Connect Architecture to achieve its full potential, providing infinite possibilities in customization and unparalleled bandwidth access in I/O intensive applications. The A5220HS leverages AMD64 Direct Connect Architecture already standard on all AMD Opteron™ systems through Iwill's HTX-Pro™ HyperTransport interconnect. HTX-Pro uses same HyperTransport technology bus that connects memory, I/O and processors to also connect expansion I/O devices directly to AMD Opteron™ processor at 6.4GB/s (or higher if available) of total bandwidth per HyperTransport technology link. HTX-Pro™ allows for a modular system design, freeing motherboard from handling expansion buses and devices such as PCI, PCI-X and InfiniBand by concentrating those functions into separate system boards connected by HTX-Pro, allowing I/O portion of system to be upgraded without replacing entire platform. A user may start using platform based around PCI-X add-in devices and upgrade to PCI-Express at a later date by simply changing out modular I/O board. “The A5220HS brings a highly scalable, high performance integrated, 64-bit computing solution to enterprise market. The lower price and superior scalability and performance of AMD Opteron™ processor, relative to other available 64 bit architectures, allow systems like A5220HS to bring a level of performance previously too expensive for many to consider,” said Jim Bowen, HPC Systems’ Director of Systems Engineering. “Whether handling corporate databases or performing complex scientific computations, A5520HS is a workhorse for enterprise.”
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