In a significant milestone for scientific Grid computing, eight major computing centres successfully completed a challenge to sustain a continuous data flow of 600 megabytes per second (MB/s) on average for 10 days from CERN in Geneva, Switzerland to seven sites in Europe and the United States. The total amount of data transmitted during this challenge - 500 terabytes - would take about 250 years to download using a typical 512 kilobit per second household broadband connection.

Antauris AG, a German high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and support consulting firm, will partner with Cray to market the Cray XD1 supercomputer, an entry-level and mid-market HPC system.

When it comes to high-performance computing, the interconnect architecture linking the computing nodes significantly affects the overall performance of the system. As part of the International Supercomputer Conference, a one-day tutorial on "Interconnection Architectures in Practice" will be held Tuesday, June 21, 2005, in Heidelberg's Print Media Academy. ISC2005, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, will be held June 21-24 in Heidelberg. Advance registration, at discounted rates, is now open for both the tutorial and the three-day conference.

Sun is helping the High Performance Computing Virtual Laboratory (HPCVL) to more rapidly pursue discovery and research projects with the selection of Sun technologies within its world-leading High Performance Computing (HPC) Center. The expansion is expected to quadruple current computing power and storage, and speeding results for researchers working on complex scientific and economic problems.

Absoft Corporation and Etnus LLC have entered into a reseller agreement through which Absoft will offer Etnus' market-leading TotalView debugger to its customer-base of scientists and engineers. TotalView will be a premier component in forthcoming "Enhanced Editions" of the Absoft High Performance Computing (HPC) Software Developers Kit (SDK) for IBM Linux on POWER solutions.

Fujitsu Siemens Computers has impressively demonstrated the power of its PRIMERGY BX660 server blade worldwide by setting a new record in the MAPI Messaging Benchmark (MMB3). In January this year, it achieved the outstanding result of 9,500 MMB3 users in the single server category, which is the best mark for all published 4-way servers, in the Exchange Server 2003 MMB3.

Scientists at Ohio State University have taken a step toward the development of powerful new computers by making tiny holes that contain nothing at all. The holes - dark spots in an egg carton-shaped surface of laser light - could one day cradle atoms for quantum computing. Worldwide, scientists are racing to develop computers that exploit the quantum mechanical properties of atoms, explained Greg Lafyatis, associate professor of physics at Ohio State. These so-called quantum computers could enable much faster computing than is possible today. One strategy for making quantum computers involves packaging individual atoms on a chip so that laser beams can read quantum data.

HP has signed a $48.5 million contract with the European Commission in consortium with Steria to develop two important central information systems, the second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II) and the Visa Information System (VIS).

Nevada's Desert Research Institute (DRI) has chosen the Cray XD1 supercomputer as a key computational platform for carrying out environmental research that involves high-resolution modelling and complex forecasting. By delivering superior performance and processing scalability, DRI's 60-processor Cray XD1 system will help investigators find solutions to pressing issues related to the earth's atmosphere, soil, hydrology and ecosystems.

Sun Microsystemshas introduced its first dual-core server based on the new Dual-Core AMD Opteron processor, and announced dual-core for its entire x64 product line.

DataSynapse, a provider of Grid computing solutions for the virtual enterprise, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global expert in IT consulting, services and business process outsourcing, have entered into a strategic alliance to offer TCS' international customers and prospects Grid computing software and services.

To coincide with the official introduction of Microsoft's new 64-bit Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Fujitsu Siemens Computers announced that a wide range of its servers, workstations and professional PCs support the new software. Some of the IT company's 64-bit PRIMERGY servers and CELSIUS workstations are already available, while the first ESPRIMO Professional PCs with 64 Bit operating system will enter the market in July.

Cray has signed an agreement with the U.S. Government to continue the development of next-generation supercomputer technologies. The agreement calls for Cray and the Government to each invest approximately $17.0 million over the next two years.