Fujitsu Launches PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 Supercomputer

Massively Parallel Scalar System Boasts Record Performance, Scalability

Tokyo, August 22, 2002 - Fujitsu Limited today announced the release of a new massively parallel scalar supercomputer, the PRIMEPOWER HPC2500, which boasts the world's highest theoretical peak performance (up to 85.1 teraflops^*1) and scalability (maximum of 128 x 128-processor nodes^*2, or 16,384 processors). Targeted at the High-Performance Computing (HPC) market, the new supercomputer becomes the top-of-line model in Fujitsu's flagship PRIMEPOWER servers for the UNIX market.

PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 uses a massively parallel scalar design based on 1.3 GHz SPARC64™ V processors to achieve the world's highest theoretical peak performance. With this blazing processing performance, for example, the time required for carrying out automotive crash analysis is greatly reduced. Fujitsu's own previous HPC server, the vector-type VPP5000 Series, took roughly 8.2 hours to complete the required calculations, while the new HPC2500 took only 1.1 hours, making it a solid seven times faster^*3. Another notable potential area of use is in protein folding calculations for sequenced human genome research, which could be reduced eight-fold, from one year to about one and a half months⁴.

In developing the new supercomputer, Fujitsu capitalized on its established track record and strengths in vector-based supercomputers, including cutting-edge processor technology, parallel execution of calculation instructions and ultrafast interconnect technology, and combined these features with shared memory and memory access control technologies developed for its PRIMEPOWER line of servers. As a result, Fujitsu was able to achieve a theoretical peak performance of 665.6 gigaflops5 per 128-processor node and, when 128 of these nodes (16,384 processors total) are clustered together using its high-speed optical interconnect, an astounding 85.1 teraflops overall. Both of these figures represent record-breaking theoretical peak performance levels. Compared with the VPP5000 Series, the new PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 delivers approximately 70 times higher performance per node, and 17 times higher overall (maximum system configuration of 16,384 processors).

To ensure a smooth transition for customers moving from the VPP Series to the new PRIMEPOWER HPC2500, Fujitsu is offering a parallel compiler (XPFortran) that encapsulates the VPP Fortran specification. The company is also providing industry-standard Fortran and C/C++ compilers that are designed to get the most out of the SPARC64 V processors through cache optimization and other functions, as well as enable high-speed operation simply by recompiling existing programs. Fujitsu also assists customers in migrating to PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 by providing tuning services and other transition-support services.

The new supercomputer runs on the Solaris™ operating environment, for which a large number of applications are commercially available.

Fujitsu's leading edge HPC products are playing a key role in a wide range of scientific and commercial applications, from materials development based on nanotechnology and post-genomic pharmaceuticals, to large-scale scientific calculations in the aeronautics, space, weather and environmental fields, as well as design and simulations for product development in the automotive, heavy industry and electronic equipment industries. Fujitsu will continue to stay at the vanguard of supercomputing technology, and the new PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 promises to make an even greater contribution to supporting leading edge R&D, accelerating and improving advances in science and technology, and improving competitiveness in a variety of industries.

What Software Vendors Are Saying about PRIMEPOWER HPC2500

"To develop better products faster, we need to revolutionize the design-development process through the use of digital engineering (including computer-aided engineering). After conducting numerous case studies, we have decided that what we need from CAE is reliable analytic results in the shortest time possible. Fujitsu's new line of PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 supercomputers promises to make that a reality."

Chinzou Hsu
President, CD-adapco Japan Co., LTD.

"Our customers have been using our products such as PAM-CRASH for more and more extensive analyses every year, so faster computing is always desirable. We look forward to better satisfying our customers' needs with the new PRIMEPOWER HPC2500, which builds on Fujitsu's experience with the VP and VPP Series of supercomputers."

Masahiko Watanabe
General Manager, Nihon ESI K.K.

"MSC.Nastran is the world standard in finite element analysis solutions. MSC.Nastran 2001, with its new parallel-processing capabilities, and the PRIMEPOWER HPC2500 promises to be very advantageous for users in solving large-sized problems at reduced computer resources and analysis times."

Kevin Kilroy
Director of Development Infrastructure, MSC.Software Corporation

"LS-DYNA is known the world over for its accurate and rapid solutions to structural simulation problems. LS-DYNA, a highly advanced multi-physics simulation code, can solve a vast variety of problems, from bioprosthetic heart valve operation to auto crash to earthquake engineering. Large-scale simulations of today's most challenging engineering problems similar to the above are well-suited to run on the new Fujitsu PRIMEPOWER HPC2500. I expect LS-DYNA to have excellent performance on these new machines."

John Hallquist
President, Livermore Software Technology Corporation

Trademarks
All SPARC trademarks are registered trademarks of Fujitsu in the USA and other countries, under license from SPARC International Inc of the USA. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the USA and in other countries. SPARC64 is a trademark of Fujitsu used under license from SPARC International, Inc. of the USA. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Solaris, and all Solaris-related trademarks and logos are registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems in the USA and other countries, and are used by Fujitsu under license. All other company/product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.

About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting technologies, high-reliability/performance computing and telecommunications platforms, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts make Fujitsu uniquely positioned to unleash the infinite possibilities of the broadband Internet to help its customers succeed. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 5 trillion yen (about US$38 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/

[Press Contacts] Chiaki Kuwahara, Scott Ikeda Fujitsu Limited Public & Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 (Tokyo) Fax: +81-3-3216-9365 Press Inquiries

[Customer Contact] Toshihiro Oyama Fujitsu Limited Global Marketing Tel: +81-44-754-3658 Fax: +81-44-754-3659 E-mail: primeserver@fujitsu.com

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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