Monday, August 6, 2007

Iran Makes Mideast’s Best Supercomputer (and it runs on Linux!)

TEHRAN, Aug. 6 --Iran has manufactured the Middle East’s most powerful supercomputer at the Research Center for Ultra High-Speed Processing of Amir Kabir University of Technology.
A researcher with the project’s team, Bahman Javadi, said the project is the result of two years of research, Fars reported.
“The supercomputer has 216 Aptron processing units with two gigahertz frequency that utilizes cluster technology and functions in a parallel manner. This computer has 56 gigabyte memory with a storage capacity of 5,800 gigabyte,“ he said.
Javadi noted that the supercomputer will be used for weather forecast in Iran’s Meteorological Organization and has the processing capacity of 860 billion actions per second.
“According to world trade regulations, supercomputers that perform more than 190 billion acts per second are regarded as strategic products and their sale is subject to international sanctions,“ he said.
Javadi pointed out that Iran has joined the few countries that have access to the technology for manufacturing such a supercomputer.
Noting that the supercomputer uses Linux operating system, he further said the software for monitoring and controlling the system was also designed by researchers of the center.
“Several application software products, including MMS and ARPS used for forecasting weather, have also been installed on the supercomputer,“ he said.
“The Research Center of Ultra High-Speed Processing of Amir Kabir University of Technology gained access to the technology for manufacturing cluster supercomputers after 15 years.“
Javadi pointed out that Iran’s first supercomputer was produced in the center in 2001 and a supercomputer was installed at Iranian Space Organization in 2003 for processing satellite pictures.