Linux Minicluster Computer Developed by Sandia National Labs Based on PC/104 Hardware from parvus Corp.Business Editors & High-Tech Writers LIVERMORE, Calif. & SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2002 Four-Node Parallel Computing Solving a problem with multiple computers or computers made up of multiple processors. It is an umbrella term for a variety of architectures, including symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), clusters of SMP systems, massively parallel processors (MPPs) and grid computing. Device Leverages PC/104's Size to Achieve Portability and Performance parvus Corp. today announced that it has helped Sandia National Laboratories Sandia National Laboratories, which is managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation), is a major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratory with two locations, one in Albuquerque, New to develop a portable Linux cluster computer system based on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PC/104 technology. While cluster computers typically combine multiple desktop-sized PCs to work in parallel on problems too large for a single computer, Sandia's Minicluster leverages embedded PC components to achieve a high-performance, low-cost parallel processing parallel processing, the concurrent or simultaneous execution of two or more parts of a single computer program, at speeds far exceeding those of a conventional computer. system roughly the size of a breadbox. Computers such as the Minicluster could potentially be used to demonstrate a wide variety of scientific and business applications, including weather prediction, human genome The human genome is the genome of Homo sapiens, which is composed of 24 distinct pairs of chromosomes (22 autosomal + X + Y) with a total of approximately 3 billion DNA base pairs containing an estimated 20,000–25,000 genes. analysis, pharmaceutical design, aircraft and automobile design, seismic exploration, artificial intelligence, data mining, and financial analysis, among others. "By utilizing parvus Corporation's components, packaging, and systems integration services, Sandia was able to quickly complete the Minicluster project," said Mitch Williams
"Our design successfully integrates all standard features of normal-sized rack-mounted clusters, including individual keyboard, video and mouse access to every node, while minimizing size to barely over a foot tall and five inches wide." The unit incorporates a Linux OS, four PC/104 processor nodes, a 10BaseT private network, power supply, KVM switch (1) See also KVM. (2) (Keyboard Video Mouse switch) A device used to connect a keyboard, mouse and monitor to two or more computers. KVM switches are used to save space on a desktop when multiple computers are used by one user. , and an external PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, San Jose, CA, www.pcmcia.org) An international standards body and trade association that was founded in 1989 to establish a standard for connecting peripherals to portable computers. PCMCIA created the PC Card. See PC Card. wireless connection. A number of standard PC/104 products from parvus went into the cluster design, including the following: -- Dual PCMCIA Interface Board (See http://www.parvus.com/PCMCIA. htm), -- Two 10Mbit Ethernet Hubs (See http://www.parvus.com/parvemp /10MbitEHub.htm), -- PC/104+ Power Interface Board (See http://www.parvus.com/parvemp /PC104PlusPower.htm) -- PC/104 Double Height Adapters (See http://www.parvus.com/parvemp /DoubleHeight.htm), -- PC/104 Quad CPU Switch (See http://www.parvus.com/parvemp /QuadKVM.htm), -- and a SnapStik Incremental Card Cage (See http://www.parvus.com/parvemp /SnapStik1.htm). A case study and further information describing the Minicluster can be viewed at http://www.parvus.com/parvemp/LinuxC.htm and http://eri.ca.sandia.gov. About Sandia Sandia is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., for the United States Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. Its purview includes the nation's nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the United States Navy, under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Sandia has major research and development responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness. See for more information. About parvus Formed in 1983, parvus Corp. is an ISO- iso- or is- pref. 1. Equal; uniform: isobar. 2. Isomeric: isopropyl. 3. 9001 certified designer, manufacturer, and systems integrator of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PC/104 products for embedded control environments. Its rugged, compact circuit boards and enclosure systems offer feature-rich, low-cost design solutions for military and commercial applications. For more information, visit www.parvus.com or call 801/483-1533. Note for Editors High-resolution artwork can be downloaded at http://www.parvus.com/news_releases.htm. |
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