Geneva, 25 September 2002. CERN¹ and HP² today announced that HP would join the CERN openlab for DataGrid applications. This group is an industrial collaboration formed to push the limits of emerging Grid technologies by developing novel solutions to the massive data storage and analysis challenges of both the research community and the IT industry.

CERN's next-generation particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, will begin generating data at the rate of millions of gigabytes – or petabytes – per second, starting in 2007. Even though only a minute fraction of this data will be stored for further analysis, this will still result in dozens of petabytes per year. The huge datasets will be distributed worldwide so that scientists everywhere can have access to them.

Other collaborators in the CERN openlab include Intel³ and Enterasys Networks. HP will initially supply CERN with advanced hardware to construct a 32-node cluster of computers optimized for data-intensive scientific computing. Code-named the "CERN opencluster," it will be powered by Itanium® 2 processors provided by Intel and linked to CERN's emerging DataGrid infrastructure via a high-speed 10 gigabit Ethernet backbone provided by Enterasys Networks.

Going well beyond the hardware, the collaboration will enable researchers from CERN and HP Labs to explore solutions beyond today's Internet-based computing. Deploying the CERN opencluster into the demanding worldwide grid environment being used for physics simulations could provide valuable insight for how the grid could be used in future information processing infrastructures and utilities.

"The research alliance with CERN provides HP with a demanding testbed for some of our most advanced IT solutions and it will be an excellent proving ground for our hardware," said Jim Duley, director for technology programs, HP University Relations. "We look forward to contributing to the CERN openlab and using the experience to help bring the benefits of grid computing to the enterprise."

"It's a win-win arrangement," said Manuel Delfino, IT Division leader at CERN. "CERN gains access to some of the world's most advanced technologies for building IT infrastructure, and provides in return a focused and extreme computational challenge with which to test it. HP will bring invaluable experience to the group and we are thrilled to have them join us."

For more information about the CERN openlab for DataGrid Applications collaboration, see website.

Contact at CERN: François Grey
CERN Openlab for Datagrid applications 
Tel: +41-22-767-1483
Email: Francois.Grey@cern.ch

1. CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has its headquarters in Geneva. At present, its Member States are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Israel, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Turkey, the European Commission and Unesco have observer status.
2. HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its merger transaction involving Compaq Computer Corp. on May 3, 2002. More information about at HP
3. Intel and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.