The Brown & White

Library and Technology Services added additional high performance computers to their collection in June to manage massive amounts of data and computation, officials said.

The high-performance computers have about 80,000 times more memory than a typical computer and are capable of processing many different variables of a certain equation all at the same time, said Bruce Taggart, vice provost of Library and Technology Services.

The two programs using the high-performance computers are named Altair and Inferno, Brian Davison, chair of the High Performance Computing Steering Committee and part of the LTS staff, said. Altair is one computer that has many processors, making it capable of creating large, complex projects. Inferno consists of 40 computers capable of completing multiple projects that are smaller and less complex.

The computers are located in the computing center, which is connected to the Fairchild Martindale Library. They are open to students in all levels of education including undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members.

All the computers are located in one area because they require special environmental conditions, Taggart said. The computers generate a lot of power and use a lot of electricity, which creates a lot of heat.

The building requires constant air conditioning, special power generators and backup generators to power the computers, Taggart said.

The location of the computers on campus is not important because they are not used on a daily basis, Davison said. Instead, they are used mainly for storing information. Their software tools are accessed through the Internet.

Further advances to these essential research resources will require much more work in the high-performance computing center, Taggart said.

"We're looking at more efficient and effective machines from a finance standpoint," Taggart said.

In the past, Lehigh purchased cheaper machines that were very powerful, Taggart said. However, today LTS is looking to invest in more energy efficient machines, which are more environmentally responsible.