Fujitsu Systems Europe

Fujitsu provides scalable computing capacity for the European Commission IST Integrated project Pico-Inside

SynfiniWay-based ASP infrastructure ensures robust and reliable service delivery to widely dispersed consortium sites

Paris and Toulouse, 22nd February 2006 — Calculations for the Pico-Inside project have now started in earnest using the ASP (Application Service Provider) computing facility managed by Fujitsu Systems Europe. The Pico-Inside consortium (www.picoinside.org) from the future and emerging technology (FET) part of EC IST programme, brings together 13 academic institutes and industrial organisations across Europe that are leaders in nano-science. Over the next 3 years this project will explore atomic-scale technology that could lead to mathematical calculations being performed within a single molecule.

Pico-Inside project coordinator is Prof Christian Joachim who leads the nano-science group (GNS) of the CEMES/CNRS1 based in Toulouse, France. Prof Joachim was recently awarded the Feynman Prize for Theory by the Foresight Nanotech Institute for developing theoretical tools and principles to allow the design of a wide variety of single molecular functional nanomachines. This work included the establishment of the elastic scattering quantum chemistry (ESQC) theory to explain tunnelling junctions between metal electrodes and molecules, from which the GNS developed the first intramolecular circuit simulator (N-ESQC) for a large molecule connected to N atomic scale electrodes. Most of the large parallel simulations to be run during the project will use this N-ESQC code.

In addition to the scalable compute infrastructure, Fujitsu is also contributing its knowledge in processor design to the work-package on the architecture for mono-molecular electronics. This activity will draw upon expertise developed within Fujitsu laboratories during various nano-technology research projects.

An integral part of the ASP infrastructure is the Fujitsu SynfiniWay™ software framework that provides a service-oriented interface to the remote compute and data servers. SynfiniWay completely virtualises a network of resources, from the desktop to remote servers and across any number of connections, so that the ASP compute servers are accessible from the users desktop with the same standard interface as for a local machine. For the Pico-Inside consortium SynfiniWay allows data to be easily and securely shared between the ASP centre and the individual sites. Moreover, by using the integrated SynfiniWay workflow tool to chain inter-dependent services, different stages of the calculation process can be synchronised between collaborating scientists.

SynfiniWay is developed entirely in Java™ and runs on any compute platform – Windows®, Unix or Linux. The SynfiniWay framework is accessible through a web browser interface or embedded within third-party desktops, as well as the standard customisable Java client. Customers today are deploying SynfiniWay for resource pooling between sites to increase global machine utilization, standardisation on a common service-oriented application interface to heterogeneous systems, and meta-scheduling of service-based workflows for optimized process turnaround.

1 CNRS : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (www.cnrs.fr)
CEMES : Centre d'Elaboration de Matériaux et d'Etudes Structurales (www.cemes.fr)

---

About Fujitsu Systems Europe

Fujitsu Systems Europe provides an integrated suite of products and services for users of distributed and clustered computing infrastructures. Technical computing solutions include Linux clusters, large-scale SMP servers and workstations, complemented by our managed facility for peak and scalable utility computing. Fujitsu Systems Europe also develops and markets world-wide the SynfiniWay software platform for collaborative computing. Our services, founded on dedicated expertise in technical and engineering simulation, include the audit, design and deployment of SynfiniWay-based solutions for process optimisation and innovation. Clients include leading enterprises in the automotive and aerospace industries, energy, meteorology, as well as universities and research institutions. For more information, please see: www.fujitsu.com/uk/services/hpc.

Fujitsu Systems Europe is a strategic member of the Fujitsu Group, a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace.

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting device technologies, highly reliable computing and communications products, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its customers' success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$44.5 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. For more information, please see this: www.fujitsu.com.

---

Press Contacts

---

SynfiniWay is a trademark of Fujitsu Limited. All other company/product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.