St. Francis Xavier University and Sun Microsystems of Canada Open High Performance Computing Laboratory

New centre makes significant contribution to high performance and grid computing for advanced research in Canada

Antigonish, NS - May 11, 2005 - St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) and Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. today announced the official launch of StFX's High Performance Computing Laboratory ("hpcLAB"). The new hpcLAB, located on the university's Antigonish, Nova Scotia campus, will be a focal point for advanced research projects exploiting state-of-the-art computing technology, and will host the computing facilities for the University's Centre for Applied Petroleum Sciences. This new facility reinforces the university's position as a hub for academic research in Atlantic Canada.

The hpcLAB, housed in StFX's Physics Department, will capitalize on the power and performance of a grid computing infrastructure, built with Sun Fire V20z servers, running the Solaris 10 operating system. The hpcLAB's system is robust enough to perform complex algorithmic research and development in areas such as biophysics and materials science. StFX's new lab also signifies a considerable addition to the computational research community in Atlantic Canada and will strengthen collaborations between universities using grid computing to conduct research in several areas, such as computational chemistry and parallel computing.

"Our Sun-powered high performance computing facility has significantly enhanced the University's research capabilities in physics and other disciplines," said Peter Poole, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Modeling and Computer Simulation at StFX. "This lab will propel the University and the province's contribution to advanced research in Canada. As a leading computing facility, we also expect to advance private partnerships that encourage long-term economic growth and development in the province."

Grid power for improved research

Several research initiatives at StFX require the application of technology to run computational tests of various physical theories. This process requires substantial computing power to process large amounts of data. As such, StFX has acquired its high-performance systems to boost its capabilities. Specifically, StFX enhanced its existing 120-CPU cluster infrastructure with 118 Sun Fireô V20z AMD Opteron based servers, a StorEdgeô 3511 array providing six terabytes of S-ATA storage, Sun's N1ô Grid Engine and Sun Control Station 2.2 software. Combined with Solaris, this system will ensure high throughput and ease of management and in turn, superior research outcomes.

"Sun has long understood and supported innovation in Canada's academic centres, and the importance of joint partnerships between academic institutions and private sector companies," said Lynne Zucker, Director of Education and Research Markets, Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. "StFX has a reputation for doing world-class research, for example in materials and biophysics, and Sun is pleased to support such worthy initiatives."

Tom Goguen vice president, Operating Platforms Group, Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. will speak at the Centre's official opening at 1:30 PM, May 11, 2005 at St. Francis Xavier University's Physical Sciences Complex, Antigonish campus.

In addition to support from Sun Microsystems, the hpcLAB is supported by funding from the Atlantic Innovation Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust.

About St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University is a leading national university with a longstanding tradition of academic excellence, service to society and innovation in teaching. StFX is dedicated to providing its students with an exceptional post-secondary education that is intellectually stimulating and personally enriching. The university attracts 4000 students from across Canada and around the world to its residential campus each year for a quality education in arts, science, business and information systems, and applied programs.

About Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc.
Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is headquartered in Markham, Ontario. The company, which employs more than 550 persons, has offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. Sun products and services are also available through Sun Authorized Independent Marketing Organizations and iForce[SM] System Providers across Canada. For more information, visit http://ca.sun.com/ .

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