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Argonne is working with IBM and VA Linux Systems to build "Chiba City" -- the world's largest supercomputing cluster dedicated to "highly scalable open source" software development.
This cluster of individual computers is dedicated to the development of supercomputing software that can be quickly adapted to even larger groups of computers and open to improvements by the user community.
The Chiba City Project, conceived by researchers at the Mathematics and Computer Science Division (MCS), will be Argonne's most powerful supercomputer. The project gets its name from the futuristic "Chiba City" in William Gibson's science fiction novel, "Neuromancer."
The project will help advance the use of state-of-the-art Linux clusters based on affordable industry standard components in high-performance computing. When completed, the 512-CPU Linux cluster will be opened to the U.S. research community, including universities, laboratories and industry.
Linux is a computer operating system invented by Finnish computer scientist Linus Torvalds. Linux is "open source" software: it's free, and anyone can change it any way they like.
The cluster comprises 256 2-CPU computational servers from VA Linux Systems, and IBM Netfinity servers for cluster management, file storage and visualization. The Chiba City cluster provides a flexible development environment for scalable open-source software in four key categories: cluster management, high-performance systems software (file systems, schedulers and libraries), scientific visualization and distributed computing.
The construction was planned and managed by engineers from Argonne and VA Linux Professional Services, with support from VA and IBM's cluster hardware and software experts. VA Linux also provided cluster management technology and certified new high-performance Linux drivers for the gigabit ethernet cards and graphics cards used in the scalable cluster.
The cluster installation was accomplished in a two-day "barn-raising" event, complete with banjo player, at Argonne-East. More than 50 Argonne scientists pitched in to help build the cluster, which links high-performance servers from VA Linux with advanced hardware from IBM and the latest in network interconnect hardware.
"The Chiba City barn raising is a great example of the kind of community spirit that the project will support," said Remy Evard, manager of advanced computing and networking at MCS.
"Linux clusters are attractive for their price and performance, but more importantly, Linux and open source tools enable our community to work together to tackle large-scale systems software challenges."
The Chiba City effort is sponsored primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.
Chiba City technology was demonstrated at the Argonne research exhibit at the Supercomputing '99 conference in Portland, Ore.
VA Linux Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of Linux-based solutions, integrating systems, software and services. IBM is the world's largest technology company.
Breakfast with Santa, Argonne Club's annual holiday party, will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria.
An Argonne Fire Department fire engine will deliver Santa and Mrs. Claus to the cafeteria at 9 a.m. Other visitors will include clowns, a magician, a storyteller and costumed holiday and cartoon characters.
Breakfast and lunch will be available for purchase. Cookies and juice will be available free of charge.
Tickets are $2 per child and are available in three time slots: 9-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Tickets are limited to 10 per customer. Tickets go on sale the week of Nov. 29 from 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m. at the Building 213 Cafeteria until the 600 available tickets are sold out.
Reading, basic computer and math skills classes are being offered by Argonne-West and Bechtel, Babcock Wilcox Idaho, contractor for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
Classes are taught one night a week from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at University Place in Idaho Falls. Classes are paid for by the laboratory.
A one-hour orientation for employees interested in this opportunity will be held Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at University Place, Room 211. University Place is located behind the Willow Creek Building in Idaho Falls.
For more information, call Ryan Tew (RPS-HR) at ext. 3-7563.
Mathematician Lisette G. de Pillis and experimental physicist Maria Iavarone have received 1999 Maria Goeppert Mayer Distinguished Scholar awards.
The award, named for an Argonne physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963, was established to recognize outstanding achievements by woman scientists and engineers. It provides opportunities to conduct innovative research in the special environment and unique capabilities offered by Argonne.
Iavarone is an expert in the use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), a technique that can image solid surfaces down to atomic scales. She is also skilled at preparing thin films of materials, photolithographic techniques, development of low-noise electronics, transport measurements and tunneling spectroscopy.
Iavarone has worked with Argonne scientists to conduct studies of high-temperature superconducting materials (materials that conduct electricity without resistance when cooled with liquid nitrogen). She plans to conduct additional research in the field during the year-long distinguished scholar program, using STM to study superconducting properties in thin films and crystals.
De Pillis will visit the Mathematics and Computer Science (MCS) Division at Argonne-East for one year, where she will work with division researchers in studies of fluid dynamics and linear algebra. She is associate professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif.
De Pillis' areas of expertise are in numerical analysis and applied mathematics. Her work includes the theory of wave behavior and the mathematical modeling of biological processes. She recently received funding to build a multinode parallel "Beowulf" cluster computer.
De Pillis has a keen interest in applying mathematics to "real-life" scientific problems. She has directed five year-long clinics that focus on solving industrial problems posed by business and research firms, and was winner of a prize for the best mathematics clinic in 1997.
She has also been involved in industrial mathematics workshops designed to promote cooperative research between mathematicians and scientists of other disciplines.
De Pillis has given invited lectures at leading universities and international conferences, and has a strong record of publication in fields ranging from numerical linear algebra to chemical modeling.
The deadline to submit open enrollment forms for Argonne's medical and flexible spending accounts is Wednesday, Nov. 24.
New open enrollment forms must be filled out each year for both medical and child care accounts.
For detailed open enrollment information, see the Human Resources Web site or call ext. 2-2991.
The Argonne Guest House will host a Beaujolais nouveau celebration Dec. 1-3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. each evening.
Guest House Executive Chef Chris Kaminski will prepare a special dinner all three nights.
Beaujolais nouveau is made from young Gamay grapes picked less than two months before bottling. It is traditionally uncorked on the third Thursday of November, starting at midnight local time.
1999 vintage Beaujolais will be available for $12 per bottle or $4 per glass.
Reservations are accepted, but not necessary. To make reservations, call ext. 5-2008 or (630) 739-6000.
A free half-day workshop, "Implementing a project at Argonne," promises to enhance participants' awareness of the laboratory's special requirements, special regulations and project management support.
This workshop is open to anyone responsible for a project at Argonne, whether it's a small project involving the renovation of an existing space or a major project requiring construction.
Participants will develop an awareness of lead-time required for various milestones, costs associated with various events and compliance requirements.
The workshop will also enable project originators to identify and work more effectively with project support employees at Argonne.
The workshop will be held Monday, Dec. 6, from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 362, Room F108.
Contact Betty Iwan (HR) at ext. 2-3410 or a division Training Management System representative to enroll.
The maximum pre-tax employee 403(b) voluntary contribution to the laboratory's retirement plan will increase from $10,000 per calendar year to $10,500 starting Jan. 1, 2000.
For employees who currently contribute the maximum, the Payroll Department will automatically increase the contribution to the new maximum effective Jan. 1, 2000. For more information, call ext. 2-2991 at Argonne-East or ext. 3-7227 at Argonne-West.
A book fair sponsored by Sodexho Marriott Services will be held Tuesday, Nov. 23, in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Books for children and adults will be sold at 30-70 percent off retail prices.
"Inertia," a team comprising mostly members of Argonne's Ultimate Frisbee Club, advanced to the semi-final bracket in Chicago's Ultimate Frisbee Fall League Tournament.
The team was eliminated from the competition in a close game (final score: 15-12) by a team that competes at the national level. The tournament was held at Schiller Park Woods, Schiller Park, on Nov. 6.
Ultimate combines elements of soccer, football and basketball in a fast-paced game played with a Frisbee disk.
The club holds pick-up games at Argonne-East several times a week, weather permitting. Argonne employees and their friends are welcome to play. Games are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. Evening games are held Tuesdays from 5:15 until about 7 p.m. For details, see the club's Web page.
Several office computer software classes will be offered in December by Electronics and Computing Technologies.
Unless otherwise noted, classes will be held in Argonne-East's Building 221, Room A142, are limited to 10 participants and cost $135. Class schedules and complete information are available online.
Intermediate Word 97 (ECT364) -- Wednesday, Dec. 1,
8:30 a.m. _ 4:30 p.m. Cost: $195. Prerequisites:
Introduction to Word 97.
Intermediate Excel 97 (ECT367) -- Thursday, Dec. 2,
8:30 a.m. _ 4:30 p.m. Cost: $195. Prerequisites:
Introduction to Excel 97.
Intermediate Access Version 97 (ECT333) -- Friday,
Dec. 3, 8:30 a.m. _ 4:30 p.m. Class size
limited to eight. Cost is $195. Prerequisite:
Introduction to Access 97
Advanced Word 97 (ECT365) -- Tuesday, Dec. 7,
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Cost: $195. Prerequisites:
Introduction to and Intermediate Word.
Advanced Excel 97 (ECT368) -- Wednesday, Dec. 8,
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Cost: $195. Prerequisites:
Introduction to and Intermediate Excel 97.
Advanced Access 97 (ECT334) -- Thursday, Dec. 9,
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Class size limited to eight.
Cost is $195. Prerequisite: Intermediate Access
97.
Visual Basic for Access 97 (ECT344) -- Friday,
Dec. 10, 8:30 a.m. _ 4:30 p.m. Class size
limited to eight. Cost is $195. Prerequisites:
Advanced Access and experience creating databases
in Access.
Introduction to Windows 95 (ECT300) -- Monday,
Dec. 13, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Intermediate Power-Point97 (ECT343) -- Monday,
Dec. 13, 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisites:
Introduction to Windows 95 and Introduction to
PowerPoint97.
Beginning Unix (ECT564) --This class consists of
two three-hour sessions for a total of six hours.
First session: Tuesday, Dec. 14, 9 a.m. -
noon. Second session: Thursday, Dec. 16, 9
a.m. - noon.
News, seminars and classified ads for the Nov. 29 issue ofArgonne News must be received by noon on Monday, Nov. 22, due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Employees who usually get their newsletters on Friday will have to wait over the weekend for the next issue, also due to the holiday.
