InsideTrack: Rocky Mountain Supercomputing Center

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Our faithful reader, Rich Hickey, delivered this great report on Butte’s Rocky Mountain Supercomputing Center, courtesy of his wife Roberta.  She was kind enough to venture out and attend the city council meeting whereat the center plans were discussed.

Here is the info I got from tonight…the IBM is being delivered December 27th and it is a water cooled power 7 or whatever the heck you said. One step down from a Blue Gene. The RMSC is a non profit organization that will precipitate the clients and schedule time on the system as admistration for the system. The state is funding the program long term and will own the computer. MERDI is leasing the rack space for the system in the Thornton building.
Funding is being provided by state and federal grants for the next 2 years, with the possibility of longer term funding.
The US Air Force already has expressed interest in building a paramilitary medical rescue simulation center here in Butte, using the supercomputer…and Rocky Mountain Laboratory has already signed contingency contracts to use the system. Both state schools will, of course, have access to it.
Several high profile people came out to support the project, including Dr Alex Philp, professor at MSU, Senator Jon Tester, Ray Rogers Vice President of the National Center for Health Care Informatics, Robert Rice of Neogents and of course, me.
Several of the county commissioners still have reservations about supporting the project financially in such economic times, however have pledged to look into all funding sources the county has access to in the next 10 days. A vote is scheduled at the next meeting next Wednesday.
Dr. Alex Philp said the funding will bridge the gap between the installation of the machine and the beginning of state funding in July 09. The funding will be used to provide operating capital and hire a center director. [Roberta Hickey]

Great scoop from the Hickey family!