World鈥揷lass research at the University is getting a multi鈥搈illion pound boost with the purchase of a new supercomputer鈥� built using IBM iDataPlex server technology and capable of over 74 trillion calculations per second.
The new supercomputer鈥� containing more than 8000 processors鈥� will be used by leading鈥揺dge researchers across the University to make highly complex computations in fields ranging from cancer research to climate change. It will be the first IBM System iDataPlex in a UK university and one of the 100 most powerful supercomputers in the world (based on the June 2009 Top 500 list at www.top500.org).
鈥淭o ensure that we remain at the cutting鈥揺dge of research鈥� we must invest in the best facilities for our research staff鈥氣�� comments the University鈥檚 Deputy Vice鈥揅hancellor鈥� Professor Philip Nelson.
鈥淭his significant investment will ensure that our researchers have computing facilities to rival the best in the world.鈥�
The computer, which was custom-designed and will be built, rapidly implemented and configured for the University by UK high-performance computer and storage integrator OCF plc (www.ocf.co.uk), has a capability equivalent to around 4,000 standard office computers, running simultaneously.
It will greatly assist the University鈥檚 medical researchers. Geneticist Professor Andrew Collins comments: 鈥淲e need extremely high levels of computing power in our work mapping the disease genes implicated in breast cancer and glaucoma. With the volume of genome data increasing hugely each year, its analysis requires the most highly-sophisticated facilities.鈥�
One of the key engineering groups using the computer will be the University Technology Centre for Computational Engineering, where director Professor Andy Keane and colleagues will be using its power to improve the design of aero engines and aircraft.
Other major users will be researchers in the University鈥檚 Complex Systems Simulation Doctoral Training Centre, which carries out high-quality, sophisticated simulations in research areas such as climate, pharmaceuticals, bioscience, nanoscience, medical and chemical systems, transport, the environment, engineering and computing.
“Using these new facilities we will see simulation modelling used to drive the design of new drugs tested on simulated organisms, to shape our response to climate change, to redesign our transport systems, and even to explore the origins of life on earth. The quality of simulations such as these is becoming crucial in the modern world,” says the Centre’s director Dr Seth Bullock.
The University and OCF signed their contract in July 2009. IBM will receive 拢1.8m from its sale into OCF.