Supercomputer, “MANA” Tasked with the Power to Perform
By Wendy Osher
The Maui High Performance Computing Center dedicated a new Supercomputer today that doubles the center’s computing power. The Dell platform system has 103 TeraFLOPs (103 trillion Floating operations per second), That’s 13 thousand times the computational capability of the original 8-giga FLOP (8 billion Floating Point Operations per second) system that was introduced when the center opened 15 years ago.
The computer is nicknamed Mana, the Hawaiian word for power, because it is tasked with the power to perform with influence and authority.
“This supercomputer…is the number one computer in the family of computers of the Department of Defense,” said U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye. “We have demonstrated that the state of Hawaii, Native Hawaiians, the University of Hawaii in partnership, can deliver,” Inouye said.
University of Hawaii President, Dr. M.R.C. Greenwood thanked Inouye for his vision nearly two decades ago, saying, “We can see today just how much Maui and Hawaii are the beneficiaries of his foresight. In fielding the largest supercomputer in the history of this center, the stage has been set for continued scientific advancement, new job development, new economic paradigms, and a high standard for national security. It is this unique combination of the 103 TeraFLOPs of supercomputing power, dedicated staff, and strong government support, that will lead us all to a brighter and more secure future,” said Greenwood.
On the 50th anniversary of statehood, Inouye identified the technological advancements of today as one of the ways Hawaii has become a different place since 1959.
“Fifty years ago, I think I’d be exaggerating if I said that this county was home for 20 high tech specialists,” said Inouye. “Today, I’ve been told that there are about 1,700 men and women who declare themselves to be involved in High Technology on this island-primarily because of the supercomputer,” said Inouye.
The Maui computing center is one of six supercomputing resource centers aimed at accelerating the development of Department of Defense technologies. The center will allocate more than 70,000,000 computational hours with the introduction of Mana.
“Maui is no longer a tourist destination, it is the home of the highest technology of this world,” said Inouye.