SGI Captures Six of Seven Awards Under HPC Modernization Program with Altix ICE Systems Based on New Intel Nehalem Processors

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Department of Defense (DOD) selected Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) (Nasdaq: SGIC), through its wholly owned subsidiary Silicon Graphics Federal, Inc., for six of seven awards as part of the agency's Technology Insertion 2009 (TI-09) High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP).

The multi-year $40 million agreement engages Silicon Graphics to provide world-class compute and storage solutions, along with options for service and support. The systems will be installed at leading defense research and development sites throughout the United States, including the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC).

'Silicon Graphics is honored to provide these premier DOD facilities with the high-performance compute, storage and service solutions needed to handle some of the most advanced computing challenges in the world,' said Silicon Graphics CEO Robert 'Bo' Ewald. 'Securing these TI-09 awards required Silicon Graphics to prevail in a competitive evaluation involving numerous major HPC vendors. As we move forward with implementation and long-term support of these solutions, we'll work to ensure that DOD researchers and programs get the most from them.'

Silicon Graphics captured the lion's share of 2009 HPCMP program contracts by demonstrating the superior performance of its SGI(R) Altix(R) ICE 8200 systems based on the next-generation Intel(R) Xeon(R) processors (codenamed Nehalem). Complementing the extreme performance of the Altix ICE platform is a storage solution based on SGI(R) InfiniteStorage 4600 designed handle the DOD's tremendous I/O requirements efficiently and reliably.

Contributing to the selection of Silicon Graphics were usability factors associated with the Altix ICE systems and Silicon Graphics' long track record of delivering rapidly deployable solutions for the most demanding HPC environments.