IBM Offers High-performance Computing to Researchers in Thailand IBM Cluster in The Box helps enhance local R&D capabilities for all industries
Bangkok, March 10, 2011 : IBM today unveiled IBM Cluster in The Box – the new high-performance computing that combines hardware, software and services optimized for entry-level researchers and small business owners who need a lot of processing power to address more sophisticated computing data. The affordable IBM Cluster in The Box will enable customers to work smarter in a more cost-effective way.
Mr. Tanapong Ittisakulchai, Country Manager, System and Technology Group, IBM Thailand Co., Ltd., said: “IBM has developed and created high-performance computing systems for many years and our products have been well recognized by customers worldwide. High-performance computing is specifically designed for research & development (R&D), calculations and simulations. It can process a large amount of instructions and return results very quickly, so it is suitable for handling large R&D projects and animation production. Although traditionally used in large organizations with R&D needs, the trend is changing rapidly as many smaller organizations in both public and private sectors want to use high-performance computing for entry-level R&D projects.
To address such demands of small organizations, IBM has introduced “IBM Cluster in The Box” – a high-performance computing package designed for entry-level deployments. It incorporates hardware, software, solutions as well as advanced technology and applications from partners like Microsoft and Intel. This comprehensive package can be easily and quickly deployed by non-IT professionals. Optimized for entry-level researchers, automotive industry and electronics manufacturing industry, this high-performance computing package will enable customers to work more intelligently, efficiently and cost-effectively.”
Assistant Prof. Dr. Putchong Uthayopas, Head of Computer Engineering Department, Kasetsart University, said: “Today, sophisticated researches significantly rely on computers, and researchers are looking for rapid computing that returns accurate results. Many research projects include design analysis such as mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, and chemical engineering. These projects require complicated calculations that cannot be handled by general computers. That’s why we have to deploy high-performance computers or high-performance computing in our engineering faculty so as to produce qualified human resources for industries and improve our R&D capabilities. We rely on IBM’s high-performance computing because IBM is the global market leader and it delivers reliable, cutting-edge technology to serve customers worldwide.”
Commenting on high-performance computing deployment for animation production, Ms. Auchara Kijkanjanas, Managing Director, Kantana Animation Studio Co., Ltd., said: “Each frame in animation has so many complicated elements, and each element needs to be created from scratch. The quality of animation not only depends on story and relevant compositions, but also relies on each animation image that represents the story, allowing viewers to enjoy the story. In production process, one-second animation is composed of 24 frames, so we need at least 150,000 frames for a whole animated film. Generally, it takes 1-2 hours to process each image frame. That’s why HPC technology plays a vital role in animated film production. The faster we can process each image, the more quickly we can see the results and fix any issues. In conclusion, high-performance computing helps improve the quality of our works and wipe out barriers for our creativity.”
Today, IBM’s high-performance computing products are used by many leading organizations in Thailand such as Kasetsart University, Chulalongkorn University, Kantana Animation, and Thai Meteorological Department.
