This spring NCSA introduced the Alliance Programs-international consortia of academic, corporate, and government institutions that operate a scalable microprocessor-based supercomputing system from a specific vendor. Alliances are currently in place for SGI and CONVEX systems. Member institutions further the understanding and use of a vendor's hardware and computing environment by sharing information and resources and collaborating on projects.
John Towns, team leader for HPC/Mosaic consulting and software support, is coordinating the Alliance Programs. Towns is the chair of NCSA's Computer Policy committee that recommends policy for the Center's high-performance production systems.
Member institutions commit to participating in working groups based on interest and needs. Opportunities for scientific collaboration are expected to develop from these working groups as well as collaborative ventures with vendors. One benefit of membership is access to a spectrum of hardware for scalable, portable applications development and prototyping. Other details of membership are under discussion. The most current information is available by clicking here.
Prospective members of a program must submit a brief proposal. Review criteria include the relevance of the proposal to the Alliance mission, the intrinsic merit of new projects, and the level of commitment made by the institution.
Other new and upgraded computational resources at NCSA are listed below.