Supercomputer ups BU research
One of the world's most powerful computers installed on BU campus
Jodi Slezak
Issue date: 9/13/05 Section: News
Boston University science students and faculty will have the opportunity to work with one of the world's most powerful computers once the testing phase is complete for the Blue Gene/L computer in the university's computer center.
The center at 881 Commonwealth Ave. is the new home for the 59th-most powerful supercomputer in the world, according to the TOP500 List of Supercomputer Sites published this summer.
IBM first announced the Blue Gene/L project, which created the supercomputer Sept. 29, 2004, according to the company's website.
BU Science Computer and Visualization Director Glenn Bresnahan said the machine contains 1,024 nodes and reaches a maximum speed of 5.6 trillion operations per second, which is the rate at which it processes information. He said these rapid speeds allow for more complex research to be analyzed.
A research grant paid for part of the $1.5 million project, according to the BU's Computer Science Director Claudio Rebbi.
"An $800,000 grant from The National Science Foundation and the Major Research Infrostructure helped to fund this project" he said.
According to Bresnahan, the computer is still in early stages of test modes, but should be opened up to more users in the next few months. In this testing phase, initial failures are being fixed and diagnostic tests are run regularly. These tests will help the system to run more efficiently in the future.
"This computer is the most powerful tool that supports research," Rebbi said. "It can solve a wide variety of problems that can not be solved without computers. It can compute more detailed problems and with better accuracy."
Rebbi said the Blue Gene/L is a very stable machine and is being run by trained university staff members. Students will be able to use the computer through training courses or as part of research projects.
Because of the complex nature of the machine and the massive computing power, major issues with performance will be handled through a maintenance contract with IBM, Bresnahan said.
Users will mostly consist of research scientists, professors and graduate students, Rebbi said. He currently has one graduate student working on the project.
College of Arts and Sciences senior Daniel Hayes said he was excited about having the project at BU.
"It's quite a massive project," he said. "It's going to drastically change computing as we know it, and I mean that in an exponential sense."
CAS senior Brent Markus said he is looking forward to the addition to the computer center.
"Although undergraduates probably won't have as much access to the computer, it definitely adds to the reputation of Boston University's science research," he said.
The center at 881 Commonwealth Ave. is the new home for the 59th-most powerful supercomputer in the world, according to the TOP500 List of Supercomputer Sites published this summer.
IBM first announced the Blue Gene/L project, which created the supercomputer Sept. 29, 2004, according to the company's website.
BU Science Computer and Visualization Director Glenn Bresnahan said the machine contains 1,024 nodes and reaches a maximum speed of 5.6 trillion operations per second, which is the rate at which it processes information. He said these rapid speeds allow for more complex research to be analyzed.
A research grant paid for part of the $1.5 million project, according to the BU's Computer Science Director Claudio Rebbi.
"An $800,000 grant from The National Science Foundation and the Major Research Infrostructure helped to fund this project" he said.
According to Bresnahan, the computer is still in early stages of test modes, but should be opened up to more users in the next few months. In this testing phase, initial failures are being fixed and diagnostic tests are run regularly. These tests will help the system to run more efficiently in the future.
"This computer is the most powerful tool that supports research," Rebbi said. "It can solve a wide variety of problems that can not be solved without computers. It can compute more detailed problems and with better accuracy."
Rebbi said the Blue Gene/L is a very stable machine and is being run by trained university staff members. Students will be able to use the computer through training courses or as part of research projects.
Because of the complex nature of the machine and the massive computing power, major issues with performance will be handled through a maintenance contract with IBM, Bresnahan said.
Users will mostly consist of research scientists, professors and graduate students, Rebbi said. He currently has one graduate student working on the project.
College of Arts and Sciences senior Daniel Hayes said he was excited about having the project at BU.
"It's quite a massive project," he said. "It's going to drastically change computing as we know it, and I mean that in an exponential sense."
CAS senior Brent Markus said he is looking forward to the addition to the computer center.
"Although undergraduates probably won't have as much access to the computer, it definitely adds to the reputation of Boston University's science research," he said.
