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Science Grid Genesis

Posted by michael on from the birth-of-skynet dept.

Cranial Dome writes "According to this Cnet.com story, the Department of Energy (DOE) is working to interconnect the first two computers which will form the genesis of the DOE Science Grid, a virtual supercomputing system which will eventually encompass many more systems at several locations. The larger of the two machines: DOE National Energy Research Science Center's (NERSC) IBM SP RS/6000, a distributed memory machine with 2,944 compute processors. This machine, together with a smaller 160 processor Intel system, will make up a combined 3,328 processor Unix system with 1.3 petabytes(!) of storage space. And this is only the beginning..."

5 of 166 comments (clear)

  1. Could you imagine....no, seriously by jmenezes · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Can you imagine a beowulf cluster of these?
    not simply in the joke and drool senses, but an actual cluster of supercomputers.
    Beowulf is great, it allows smaller, slower pcs to be used as part of a parallel-processing cluster. But why not a cluster of supercomputers?
    even these multi-million dollar supercomputers have a somewhat limited lifetime...
    (ive seen a few on ebay) but why not take these aging number-crunchin behemoths and cluster them?
    This would provide the massive power or more of the newer ones, while still allowing to use the older hardware for longer periods of time.
    Just a thought

    --
    Stop over-analyzing your analizations
  2. Skynet! by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 0, Redundant

    So it should become self-aware some time soon? If my name was Sarah Connor I'd start running now.

    --
    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
  3. Self-Aware machines by fallen1 · · Score: 0, Redundant
    Skynet became self-aware 2:14am EDT August 29, 1997. It began to learn at a geometric rate. In a panic they tried to pull the plug. Skynet fought back. It launched all of its missiles at targets in Russia...

    Ok, now if linking all the DOE computers into a large "science grid" doesn't give you a slight chill at the thought of some cosmic event happening, well then nothing will. *heh* Still, it would definately be interesting if we need the Turing Police to be formed. *laugh*

    --

    Dream as if you'll live forever.
    Live as if you'll die tomorrow.
    ~Anonymous~

  4. Imagine... by Dimwit · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Wow, imagine a DOE Science Grid Virtual Supercomputer of those!

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    ...but it's being eaten...by some...Linux or something...
  5. What if... by andcal · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Imagine a Beow...

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    --something witty