Panasas and AMD Help Eliminate Performance Bottlenecks for High-Performance Linux Cluster Computing

FREMONT, Calif., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasas, Inc., today announced ongoing support of the AMD64 platform and its innovative new Dual-Core AMD Opteron(TM) processors. AMD Opteron processor-powered Linux clusters, teamed with the Panasas ActiveScale Storage Cluster(TM), are helping technical computing environments eliminate both compute and storage performance bottlenecks from Linux clusters. The resulting performance improvements increase the speed with which customers achieve their business results.

Panasas and AMD have each revolutionized different elements of Linux clusters to help usher this high-performance computing (HPC) platform into the mainstream. AMD64 dual-core technology provides industry-leading performance and is a natural extension of the AMD Opteron processor's Direct Connect Architecture, which directly connects CPU, memory, and I/O resources. The Panasas ActiveScale Storage Cluster combines a parallel file system, with an object-based architecture, to improve data throughput between the storage and compute resources of a Linux cluster.

"Working closely with companies such as Panasas, AMD has set the standard for x86-based 64-bit computing in the HPC environment -- first with the introduction in 2003 of the AMD Opteron processor -- the first simultaneous x86 32- and 64-bit processor, and now two years later with Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors," said Pat Patla, director, server/workstation marketing, Microprocessor Solutions Sector, AMD. "Next-generation processing and storage platforms such as those offered by AMD and Panasas are driving Linux clusters into mainstream commercial applications."

AMD Opteron processors have become a preferred platform for high-performance computing. Organizations across a wide variety of commercial industries leverage the AMD Opteron processor-based platform to power Linux clusters. The strategic relationship between Panasas and AMD includes the deployment of the Panasas ActiveScale Storage Cluster at AMD's Developer Center on one of the world's top 500 supercomputers. The companies are teaming to certify leading software applications for modeling, simulation, and seismic processing. Such certification will ensure out-of-the-box support for major applications running on the combined platform from Panasas and AMD.

"AMD has a clear vision for the power of next-generation Linux cluster computing as evidenced by the adoption rates we are seeing within our customer base, and we continue to actively work with AMD to ensure that the Panasas Storage Cluster is optimized to take advantage of the AMD Opteron processor-based platform," said Larry Jones, vice president of product marketing at Panasas. "By eliminating the performance bottlenecks on both the storage and compute sides of Linux clusters, we are helping to usher in the next wave of high-performance computing." About Panasas

Panasas, Inc. helps companies accelerate the speed and accuracy of their business decisions, leading to real world breakthroughs that improve people's lives. Panasas enables customers to maximize the benefits of Linux clusters by breaking down the storage bottleneck created by legacy network storage technologies. Through the delivery of the company's Storage Cluster platform, which combines industry-standard hardware with the company's ActiveScale File System and professional services, the company has become the established leader in object-based, clustered storage. Panasas' headquarters are in Fremont, CA with development facilities in Pittsburgh, PA and Houston, TX. For more information, please visit http://www.panasas.com.