Power up: Bluesky is online!

SCD director Al Kellie, joined by a team of SCD managers, switches on the power to one of 38 Regatta Turbo-H frames in bluesky, a completely new IBM system that was delivered this week to NCAR. Bluesky, which represents Phase 2 of NCAR's Advanced Research Computing System, has a total of 1,216 POWER4 processors and peak computation rate of 6.323 teraflops.

IBM engineers worked intensely for several days to install the system, which came alive at Al's touch at 14:40 on Friday, 4 October 2002. "It's a great day," Al said, "the biggest step in NCAR computing history. You look at the system and it's so astonishing—so many machines, so big, so complex, so power hungry." In fact, Aaron Andersen, manager of SCD's Operations and Infrastructure Support Section, noted that when the system came online, power consumption in the Computer Room more than doubled.

Three new air handlers, capable of dissipating a heat load of 80 tons, have been installed to keep the Computer Room at a constant and cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit. (In terms of heat load dissipation, a ton measures how much energy it takes to melt a ton of ice.)

Installation and verification of the bluesky system will occur through the end of the month, and around November 1, the 30-day Acceptance Test Period will begin.

Photo: Lynda Lester—NCAR/SCD