Massive virtual supercomputer given go-ahead in UK

Brussels, 18 Dec 2003

The UK's particle physics and astronomy research council (PPARC) has announced funding of 22.74 million euro for a massive computing grid, to be known as GridPP2. The computer will form part of a larger European grid dealing with data from CERN, the European particle physics laboratory, once the Large Hadron Collider is operational in 2007.

Grid computing shares the resources of connected computers, enabling the sharing of information between computers. By connecting large numbers of computers together, particle physicists are able to run simulations and analyses in a fraction of the time it would take to run on a single machine. An added benefit of grid computing is that the network is constructed from inexpensive units and can be expanded or reduced to fit a user's needs.

'GridPP2 will place UK particle physicists in a prime position to exploit physics from the Large Hadron Collider,' said Professor Ian Halliday, Chief Executive of PPARC.

The grid will be equal in size to the world's second largest supercomputer, the largest being Japan's Earth simulator computer. The UK Grid will be equivalent to 20,000 1GHz personal computers.

For further information, please consult the following web address:
http://www.pparc.ac.uk

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