IBM & CERN openlab for DataGrid Applications
Jules V.D. writes "CERN and IBM today announced that IBM is joining the CERN openlab for DataGrid applications to collaborate in creating a massive data-management system built on Grid computing.IBM's innovative storage virtualization and file management technology, will play a pivotal role in this collaboration, which aims to create a data file system far larger than exists today to help scientists at CERN understand some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of matter and the Universe."
create a data file system far larger than exists today to help scientists at CERN
How about installing larger computers and storage systems at CERN, instead of assuming that other centers will give away their tight resources to CERN.
CERN is definitely one of the coolest places on Earth. For a bid a couple of years ago, I had to do some reasearch regarding their storage requirements and data management facilities. These people produce 10 *Peta*bytes* of data per year. For us mortals to understand that number, it's got to be converted to gigabytes per second: 300+ GB/s. On the basement we've got a 2 TB RAID. The people at CERN fill that baby in less than 7 seconds. No, scratch that. Our RAID (dual fibrechannel 10000 rpm SCSI discs) tops at 120 MB/s. See what I mean? Just try to grasp the kind of SAN these people have in order to move 300 GB/s arround.
Filling application right away.
This system stores, crunches, and distributes data generated by the Large Hadron Collider. They generate a million gig a year in data, and need to make it available in some functional way to physicists. Manditory groovy collider pic here.
A major collaborator on this stuff is Globus which provides an API for grid applications. Same people who are partners with IBM in the butterfly.net game grid.
Maybe MTU can use it to store their students' Kazaa archives.
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Believe me, I'm as surprised by my comment as you are.
More about IBM and Cern- Gridcomputingplanet
Cern and Java- VnunetMore about Cern-Hepwww
The Large Electron Positron Collider at Cern-Hepwww