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Virginia Tech Announces Supercomputer Plans

Posted by pudge on from the i-got-dibs-when-they-are-done-with-it dept.

CousinVinnie writes "Previously noted in this Slashdot story, the administration of Virginia Tech has announced they're puchasing 1100 G5's (another story) in hopes to build a top-10 supercomputer by October 1. Tech will be spending $5.2 million over five years on the project, which should help it pull in more research money." Maybe VT can use the new computers to beef up their web site.

3 of 419 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This is quite cool but... by Kalak · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Dell and HP were considered, and Apple won based to a large degree on delivery date. There are more issues to computing than benchmarks, and in the issue of deliverability, Apple won. If you RTFA on the CT, they say it was on the speed and memory of the G5, but the geek grape vine, and hints from the Roanoke times article said availability to get it up in time to make the next top 500 comuter listing we big factors.

    Both Dell and HP have recently announced large clusters, so that may be why they were unable to deliver in time.

    --
    I am, and always will be, an idiot. Karma: Coma (mostly effected by .hack)
  2. PowerMac G5s? by foo+fighter · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why aren't they waiting for the Xserve update? Rhetorical question, but still...

    I haven't seen one, but it looks like the PowerMac G5s are about 4U wide. 1100 x 4U = 4400U / 42 per rack ~= 105 racks.

    Not only is this going to take up an enormous amount of room, but the power and cooling requirements are going to be crazy as well. And they don't have rails so getting them in the racks, and working on them once in the rack, is going to be a PITA.

    1100 G5 Xserves would need only about 25 racks. Many fewer UPSes and A/C units to power in each rack. Much easier to install and work on.

    I know Apple is gung-ho about this validating their "Fastest PC Ever" claims. But it seems a little poorly thought out on the University's part even if they got a sweet up-front price on the machines. Remember: the system price is a small part of TCO.

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    obviously no deficiencies vs. no obvious deficiencies
  3. Argument for G5 here. by eddy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'd love to see the arguments for the different platforms!

    I think the argument for G5 came from here.

    --
    Belief is the currency of delusion.