Fastest open computer goes on line

The DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory can now lay claim to the fasted unclassified computer in the U.S. Built by Hewlett-Packard, it clocks in at 11.8 teraflops and will be used to study the environment and molecular sciences.

Based on peak performance, it is the fifth fastest in the world, the fastest machine based on Linux, and the largest ever built using Intel's 64-bit architecture. It is comprised of 2,000 next-generation Intel Itanium chips code-named "Madison," linked by a Quadrics interconnect, and running on industry-standard HP Integrity servers. Research scientists from across the country can access the computer through a competitive proposal process.

The new supercomputer at the Pacific Northwest National Lab operates 9,200 times faster than a desktop PC.

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