IBM aims to reclaim supercomputer title By Jatin Chopra

o When IBM’S computer the Big Blue comes out in 2004, it will gain the title of the world’s fastest computer. o This will used to model weapons for the US government.

o The competitor of IBM, Japan NEC has the title right now, with the fastest computer of 5,000 processors which process 40 trillion calculations per second. o This will be used as an Earth Simulator.

o In the Supercomputing 2002 conference, the US Energy Secretary, Spencer Abraham announced a $290 million contract with IBM if they build two new supercomputers that will be used by them to simulate explosions of US nuclear weapons without testing them directly. o One of these computer are named the ASCI PURPLE, witch is expected to do trillions of calculations per second. o This computer, the ASCI PURPLE will run eight times faster than its current supercomputer ASCI White and at a speed equivalent to the human brain, IBM said.

o The ASCI PURPLE is planning to make it come out in 2004, but in o 2005: IBM is planning to deliver it’s second supercomputer to the Department of Energy, named ‘Blue Gene/Lite’, which will planning to be even faster and even more quicker – running on 130,000 processors and a top speed of 360 teraflops — triple the speed of the ASCI Purple.

o Other companies, such as Hewlett- Packard Co., Cray Inc., are working on the same goal, to develop a supercomputer o And designing alternate systems for the Department of Energy, and NEC itself, a analysts said.

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