World's First Complete Linux Cluster System Using InfiniBand Technology Configured for High Performance Computing

Tokyo, October 29, 2001---Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. announced today that they have succeeded in constructing, and running an operational application on, a Linux-based cluster system for High Performance Computing Environments using the ultra high-speed InfiniBand^TM interconnect technology - an industry first. Such systems are expected to greatly assist in improving price/performance in areas like biotechnology, fluid analysis and structural analysis, where high performance computing is required.

The successful cluster system was constructed with 16 2-way Fujitsu PRIMERGY servers (32 processors in total) linked using InfiniBand interconnect technology for a maximum data transfer rate of 2.5Gbps. InfiniBand is a standard promoted by the InfiniBand^SM Trade Association, whose members include Fujitsu, Intel^(R) and IBM. The aim of this association is to meet the demand for balanced system architectures that provide equally good performance in memory, processor, and input/output (I/O) subsystems.

This pathbreaking achievement was also made possible by use of SCore clustering software, developed as part of the Real World Computing Partnership (RWCP) commissioned by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Together, InfiniBand technology and SCore help combine high calculation efficiency with lowest possible cost of deployment.

The system construction also included pre-release versions of Intel's InfiniBand products. The version of the AMBER-based demonstration application also contained a display component developed by the RWCP, and was ported to run on top of the SCore cluster software from RWCP.

"Intel-based servers featuring InfiniBand technology will deliver significant benefits to enterprise computing, especially for high-end clustering applications," said Mike Fister, vice president and general manager of Intel's Enterprise Platforms Group. "We welcome the expanding range of applications that Fujitsu's involvement in high-end clusters brings to Intel-based servers."

This system will be publicly demonstrated at the Scientific System Workshop part of the HPC meeting scheduled for November 1st/2nd 2001, at the Bay Sheraton Hotel in Kobe, Japan.

For Editors:

InfiniBand is a trademark or service mark of the InfiniBand Trade Association. Established by Compaq, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems, the InfiniBand Trade Association promotes this next generation I/O specification. Fujitsu participates as a Member company and the Fujitsu group company, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, as a Sponsoring Member company. http://www.infinibandta.org/

[Linux Cluster]
A Linux-based parallel processing system that can connect from several to thousands of distributed IA server systems.

[SCore]
An output from the Real World Computing Partnership (RWCP), SCore is cluster system software that was developed at the RWCP research center in Tsukuba, Japan.
http://pdswww.rwcp.or.jp/home.html

The RWCP also has its own home page at:
http://www.rwcp.or.jp/home-E.html

[Parallel Fortran compiler]
A Linux-based Fortran compiler for parallel calculation using Intel Corporation IA-32 architecture processors. It is included in the compiler product "Parallel Fortran&C Package" for Linux and conforms to the latest ANSI standards.

[AMBER]
A molecular dynamics calculation package for the simulation of the molecules of organisms. It was developed by Dr. Peter Kollman and others at the University of California, San Francisco.
http://www.amber.ucsf.edu/amber/amber.html

* All company/product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.

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About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of Internet-focused information technology solutions for the global marketplace. Its pace-setting technologies, best-in-class computing and telecommunications platforms, and worldwide corps of systems and services experts make it uniquely positioned to unleash the infinite possibilities of the Internet to help its customers succeed. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 5.48 trillion yen for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2001.
Internet: http://www.fujitsu.com/

Press Contacts:
Kenichi Watanabe, Scott Ikeda  Fujitsu Limited, Public Relations  Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 (Tokyo)  Fax: +81-3-3216-9365  E-mail: pr@fujitsu.com