China's largest data processing super server, Dawning 4000L, has just passed the test and been launched in Beijing Friday. Experts are praising the product as the "aircraft carrier" of China's super-server industry.
Dr. Sun Ninghui, the dean of the National Research Center for Intelligent Computing Systems (NCIC), said that Dawning 4000L developed by the NCIC and Dawning Information Industry Co. Ltd., was suitable for both high performance scientific computing applications and information services.
It was a milestone for China's high performance super-server industry, which was changing its focus from scientific computing to information services, he said.
Dr. Sun also said that Dawning 4000L was the largest IDC (International Digital Center) data processing machine in China now. It has been designed to provide more than 3 teraflops computing capability with 644 processors, 644GB of physical memory and 100 teraflops storage.
According to the scientists, it has the actual processing capability to deal with information generated by 40 million people's 200 SMS's each per day.
Scientists in this research group also said the machine could be upgraded on-line to 6.75 teraflops computing capability with 1300 processors, 4000G physical memory and 600 terabytes storage. The whole system will consist of 80 racks and need a 160KW power supply.
Academician Li Guojie at the Institute of Computing Technology said Dawning 4000L represented innovative progress in traditional cluster technology in the new era. It focused on data intensive applications. Spreader, an intelligent file browser, supports fast file search and browsing over 100 terabytes storage, so that finding useful information becomes much easier.
(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2003)
