New Supercomputer: Faster, Bigger Data Analysis

The Center for Advanced Computing and Data Systems (CACDS) has added a new, state-of-the-art computer to its stock of research tools, a high-performance system with the computing power of more than 450 desktops.

The addition, to be used primarily for scientific and engineering work, more than doubled the previous computing power at the University of Houston.

Supercomputers have a large number of central processing units, or CPUs, that function simultaneously and can be used to collaboratively solve complex problems or analyze large data sets. The additional computing power will allow UH researchers to perform massive computations on extremely large amounts of data in a short period of time.

Rathindra Bose, vice president for research and technology transfer at UH, said the acquisition marked the start of a new era in supercomputing, both at the University and for the surrounding community.

“With this new system, we are on our way to becoming Houston’s primary source for supercomputing resources and expertise,” he said.

Houston’s two major industries, energy and health, benefit from large-scale computing.

“Much of today’s research exploits computers to perform experiments and to evaluate very large amounts of data,” said Barbara Chapman, director of CACDS and professor of computer science in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. “This new supercomputer will allow us to bring breakthrough technologies to a new generation of researchers hoping to solve tomorrow’s problems today.”