Energy agency awards supercomputer contract to IBM

[The Straight Story]

Energy agency awards supercomputer contract to IBM

By Bob Brewin 02/03/2009

The National Nuclear Security Administration awarded a contract to IBM on Tuesday to procure the world's most powerful supercomputer.

NNSA said the new IBM Sequoia supercomputer, 10 times more powerful than any in existence, has more processing juice than any of the current top 500 supercomputers.

As part of the same contract, IBM also will deliver a supercomputer named Dawn to the Energy Department's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2009.

Neither NNSA nor IBM disclosed the value of the contract.

NNSA now uses supercomputers to model nuclear explosions. Previously, the government conducted bomb or missile warhead tests, but stopped that practice in 1992. Administrator Thomas D'Agostino said Sequoia and Dawn "will provide NNSA with the capabilities needed to resolve time-urgent and complex scientific problems, ensuring the viability of the nation's nuclear deterrent into the future. This endeavor will also help maintain U.S. leadership in high-performance computing and promote scientific discovery."

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090203_8053.php

[IDemo]

1. But at least now the tech support in Bangalore will be easy to understand

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/2/ibm-to-north-american-employees-to-keep-your-job-move-to-india-ibm

[juno jones]

2. Ahh, on the heels of articles showing that Big Blue

is one of the most prolific outsourcers.

Perhaps this is what the 'buy american' clause was supposed to modify.