Esteem Improves Research Facilities At Leeds University
22nd March 2006
Esteem Systems, one of the UK’s leading IT services providers, has celebrated the successful completion of a £350k upgrade project on behalf of The University of Leeds designed to improve the University’s research capabilities.
In a project funded by the Science Research Investment Fund, Esteem has upgraded the University’s existing system by installing a third High Performance Computing (HPC) environment based on the latest Sun Microsystems grid technology at The University of Leeds. A High Performance Computing node is a unit used to build complex data structures and allows users to solve complicated modelling and simulation problems making it a vital tool for academic research.
Following the successful implementation of the original solution by Esteem Systems, the University has been able to produce a range of high quality research papers, boosting the research rating of the University and playing an instrumental part in attracting several high value research grants.
The University of Leeds is a well established HPC community with a high level requirement for compute resources. The newly upgraded system has been used to support modelling and simulation across a wide range of disciplines throughout the University and will provide a fundamental infrastructure for research activities in areas such as Engineering, Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Mathematics.
The Sun based solution has also been integrated into the White Rose Grid (WRG) as part of the White Rose Grid Consortium which was formed to enable the Universities of Leeds, York and Sheffield to undertake larger scale research projects, share information and commercially exploit research carried out by the universities. Its integration into the WRG has increased the compute power available to WRG users across the universities and allowed the WRG community to expand into new disciplines such as Biological Sciences, Medicine and Geography. This upgrade project follows the positive news that the White Rose Grid has received further funding to sustain its e-research programmes for a further two years from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
When it was launched in 2002 the White Rose Grid was one of the first of its kind in Europe, and continues to be an example of the benefits of collaborative research. The original system was developed and installed by Esteem and Streamline Computing and has since been recognised as a source of computational excellence. It has also been invaluable in encouraging further national and international Grid and E-Research activities across the UK and in 2003 was named as an e-science centre of excellence. This latest upgrade to the existing system continues the trend for innovation by being an early exploiter of cutting edge AMD dual core technology from Sun Microsystems which keeps power requirements down to a minimum whilst maximising functionality.
Steve Chidlow, Information Systems Services Manager at Leeds University, commented: “We are delighted with the success of the project. Our work alongside Esteem Systems has had an extremely positive impact on the University’s research capabilities. In addition to this we have also experienced the wider benefits of the attraction of new faculties to the WRG community.”
If you require any further information, please contact our Press Officer on 01937 861000 or e-mail on press@esteem.co.uk
