Linux will power IBM supercomputer project

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

NEWS
Linux will be the main operating system for IBM's upcoming family of "Blue Gene" supercomputers -- a major endorsement for the operating system and the open-source computing model it represents. IBM's $100m (£64m) Blue Gene program is directed at creating, by late 2005 or early 2006, a new family of supercomputers that will be able to perform a quadrillion calculations per second (one petaflop). Blue Gene/L, the first member of the family, will contain 65,000 processors and 16 trillion bytes of memory. Due in 2004 or 2005, the system will be able to perform 200 trillion calculations per second. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will use the system for performing nuclear weapons simulations. The decision to adopt Linux came, in part, as a result of the growing size and strength of the open-source community. Thousands of developers around the world are participating in the evolution of Linux. Creating a new OS inside of IBM would require a massive engineering effort. "We had two choices of operating systems for the Blue Gene family, either use a special-purpose system or Linux," Bill Pulleyblank, director of Exploratory Server Systems at IBM Research, said in a statement. "We chose Linux because it's open and because we believed it could be extended to run a computer the size of Blue Gene. We saw considerable advantage in using an operating system supported by the open-source community, so that we can get their input and feedback." Linux already has a stronghold in supercomputers. IBM expects the Unix offshoot to be more popular than its own version of Unix, called AIX, when it comes to linking Big Blue's blade servers together to create what amounts to a single high-performance machine. Linux has become a key operating system for IBM's server division. Historically, IBM promoted different operating systems -- such as zOS for mainframes and AIX for midrange Unix servers -- for the different members of its server and mainframe family. While IBM still offers a specific operating system for each of its four server families, it also supports a version of Linux for each. This makes it easier for application developers to adapt applications for IBM's entire server line. It's easier, for example, to bring a Linux-based application from IBM's pSeries line of RISC chip-based servers to the xSeries line of Intel-based servers than it is to port an AIX-based application for pSeries to the xSeries line. Tailoring Linux to run on these upcoming machines will require substantial research, according to IBM. The company has, for instance, created a technique where only select processors can access the full hardware resources of the machines. IBM is also looking at ways to reduce interference between different tasks. The IBM research team is currently running a large Linux cluster to simulate Blue Gene. News.com's Stephen Shankland contributed to this report.
For all your GNU/Linux and open source news, from the latest kernel releases to the newest distributions, see ZDNet UK's Linux News Section. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the Linux forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

45283

I think WinRT is fantastic. I just wish it was an option for people that didn't want to go through Microsoft's App Store with its attendant...

3 hours ago by 45283 on Why Windows 8 needs architectural hygiene for WOA
Burn-IT

Nine people? £30m? Who's back pocket is that lot going in? And IF they say it is for new buildings, what about all the ones the government has...

4 hours ago by Burn-IT on Police set to launch three £30m e-crime hubs
ewallace

Just to be clear, nobody knows what is in the text of ACTA, here is a photograph of the text of ACTA http://twitpic.com/8h9iju as submitted to the...

4 hours ago by ewallace on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions
fgvrg56

Unfortunately main issue is that ASUS is refusing to accept that they make some mistake on this version of asus Transformer prime. 1 - GPS sensor...

5 hours ago by fgvrg56 on Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Wi-Fi & GPS problems?
Ben Woods

@Marcus A fair question. Just talked with Archos which said it was working on an announcement for next week....

6 hours ago by Ben Woods on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
Marcus Karlsson

Any update on this, considering the claimed "first week of February"?

7 hours ago by Marcus Karlsson via Facebook on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule
apexwm

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

16 hours ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility
txtrainguy

Replying to an old topic that I'm currently facing with my CEO (who is on a Mac). Our servers are primarily Windows Servers, office is about...

22 hours ago by txtrainguy on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility
k0tcs3

Sure, that makes perfect sense. Pay wrong-doers money and thank them for breaching your security and pointing out your flaws, that would surely...

23 hours ago by k0tcs3 on US indicts Romanian over NASA climate change hack
Random_Error

I think he's referring specifically to Android apps, as Apple do regulate their App Store, but Google seem to let any old crap onto the Android store!

23 hours ago by Random_Error on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store
Paul Fezziwig

Keep the crap apps out?! How will they compete with Android and Apple's claim to fame of having so many life changing apps? I wonder if the media...

1 day ago by Paul Fezziwig via Facebook on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store
Aigars Mahinovs

It has been shown time after time that if there is an author store that sells the songs at even 1$ per song and gives you a high-quality digital...

1 day ago by Aigars Mahinovs via Facebook on Copyright isn't working, says European Commission
awbMaven

""As a result of Butyka's alleged conduct, researchers were unable to use the computers for more than two months while NASA removed the malicious...

1 day ago by awbMaven on US indicts Romanian over NASA climate change hack
subhorup

It simultaneously worries me and uplifts me that a self-proclaimed group of internet activists name themselves after Indian mythical figures....

2 days ago by subhorup on Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code
naviathan

It's actually far easier to work anonymously on the internet than you think. With tools like Tor bouncing your traffic around the world before...

2 days ago by naviathan on Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code
Agnostic_OS

1000272134 and bluedalmatian with you both there but then I'm still in 10.04 land (and happy with it)

2 days ago by Agnostic_OS on Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit
apexwm

Interesting article and definitely see your points on the products mentioned. One of the top products for our Help Desk (approximately 20% of all...

2 days ago by apexwm on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
Paul Hutchinson

Absolutely - this should obviously not be handled my isp - but handled by their hosting operator. What's been suggested here is that my isp police...

2 days ago by Paul Hutchinson via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Techs UK

Looks like a great phone. I don't notice any deficiencies in WP7. used IOS before, that's pretty good. I don't spend much time in Apps, all i need...

2 days ago by Techs UK on Nokia pins US 're-entry' hopes on Lumia 900
Larry Bloggy

Now with the help of these apps you are always synced with MS outlook while on the move. Just download apps like xobni or outlookreflex and get...

2 days ago by Larry Bloggy via Facebook on Outlook Social Connector beta 2 and the LinkedIn connector