Baylor updates supercomputer system

Cray HPC cluster cabinets Photo credit: Courtesy Photo

By Isabella Maso | Reporter

In partnership with Cray Inc., the Baylor Libraries will update its current high-performance computing system (HPC), also referred to as a supercomputer.

“The supercomputer will replace Baylor’s current HPC system, enhancing and expanding its capacity for computational research projects,” Cray Inc. announced on their website through a press release.

The current HPC that Baylor uses has not been updated since 2003.

“You can consider this an update,” said Richard Gerik, the director of client services for the electronic library. “You replace the technology when it gets too old and isn’t as useful anymore, so that’s what this was.”

The new computer will benefit the research component of many departments throughout campus such as chemistry, physics, engineering and family and consumer sciences.

Mike Hutcheson, associate director of academic and research computing services, explained the need for the new technology.

“We have several researchers here at the university whose research requires a lot of computation, and your typical laptop or desktop is insufficient to run those programs,” Hutcheson said.

Both Hutcheson and Gerik said they are excited about the partnership with Cray Inc.

“Cray has been in the HPC business for decades. They are a very well-known, very well-respected supercomputer provider,” Hutcheson said.

The new technology will arrive at the end of November and will be put to use starting mid-December.

For more information about research done by Baylor, visit: https://www.baylor.edu/research/index.php