Defense buys Linux clusters for combat simulation

The Defense Department is deploying a pair of 256-processor Linux clusters from Bluffdale, Utah-based Linux Networx Inc. to simulate combat operations on a virtual battlefield, the company said today.

Terms of the deal were not available. The two systems are the latest in an order for six clusters the Defense Department placed with the company earlier this year. Three additional systems are in the works.

The Air Force Maui High Performance Computing Center and Aeronautical Systems Center's Major Shared Resource Center will each adopt the Linux Networx Evolocity cluster system as part of the Defense Department's High Performance Computing Modernization Program. Joint Forces Command will use the clusters for large-scale, high-resolution simulations

Each Evolocity cluster includes 256 Intel Xeon 3.06 GHz processors, Gigabit Ethernet and Linux Networx management tools.

"The fact that the Department of Defense is using Linux clusters in a production environment is a significant step forward for this technology," said Jeff Graham, deputy director at the ASC MSRC.

Linux Networx is currently building a 2,132-processor Linux cluster for the Army Research Laboratory Major Shared Resource Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. That system is scheduled to be operational this fall.