B茅luga: The latest supercomputer for Canadian researchers
Imagine a computer 300,000 times faster than a PC, and with 67,000 times more storage space. Such is B茅luga, a supercomputer now serving 捆绑SM社区, Qu茅bec, and Canadian researchers.
Located at the 脡cole de technologie sup茅rieure in Montreal, B茅luga was first made available at the beginning of April and is now the main high performance computing (HPC) infrastructure in the province. 鈥淣ot only do we provide important computing capacity, but Calcul Qu茅bec also helps researchers harness this advanced infrastructure. Our team鈥檚 expertise is essential to quality research,鈥� said Suzanne Talon, CEO for Calcul Qu茅bec.
All research projects can benefit from supercomputers. 鈥淔irst used principally in physics and chemistry, Advanced Research Computing is now pivotal in most research areas,鈥� stated Pierre-脡tienne Jacques, Chief Science Officer for Calcul Qu茅bec and one of 2,300 users relying on the organization鈥檚 resources and expertise. Supercomputers are used today in environment, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and life sciences including genomics and neuroscience. Furthermore, large computing capacity has also fostered advances in the field of artificial intelligence by Qu茅bec researchers.
B茅luga鈥檚 name refers to the iconic white whale found in the St. Lawrence River. It is the latest addition to Compute Canada鈥檚 network of supercomputers, which includes Cedar at Simon Fraser University, Arbutus at University of Victoria, Niagara at University of Toronto and Graham at University of Waterloo. Preparation of this valuable resource was a collective effort by Calcul Qu茅bec鈥檚 teams at 捆绑SM社区, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Universit茅 Laval and Universit茅 de Sherbrooke. The project was funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Government of Qu茅bec and the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec. Congratulating Calcul Qu茅bec for this achievement was CFI鈥檚 President and CEO Roseann O鈥橰eilly Runte, who noted that the CFI鈥檚 significant investment in state-of-the-art computing and storage equipment provides the necessary resources for Canadian researchers to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation for the Government of Qu茅bec declares, 鈥淥ur government is proud of its $12.8 million contribution in support of the B茅luga project. Innovation is a key element of flourishing economies and prosperous societies. Through innovation, Qu茅bec will be more productive and able to meet the future鈥檚 major challenges. B茅luga is a state-of-the-art supercomputer and was made available through the exceptional teamwork of our research and teaching institutions. It will become an essential part of advancing research in Quebec.鈥�
About Compute Canada
Compute Canada, in partnership with regional organizations ACENET, Calcul Qu茅bec, Compute Ontario and WestGrid , leads the acceleration of research and innovation by deploying state-of-the-art advanced research computing (ARC) systems, storage and software solutions.
About Calcul Qu茅bec
Calcul Qu茅bec is an umbrella organization supporting advanced research computing (ARC) whose members are the 脡cole de technologie sup茅rieure, Polytechnique Montr茅al, Concordia, University, 捆绑SM社区, l鈥橴niversit茅 Laval, l鈥橴niversit茅 de Montr茅al, l鈥橴niversit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al, l鈥橴niversit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Trois-Rivi猫res et l鈥橴niversit茅 de Sherbrooke. Committed to better serving the needs of the Canadian research community, member universities combine their human and material resources to meet the demands of ARC with
- data centers hosting leading edge supercomputers,
- teams of highly qualified ARC specialists,
- the excellence and expertise of Qu茅bec researchers in all spheres of knowledge.
About B茅luga
B茅luga is part of a network of supercomputers dedicated to research. Preparation of this valuable resource was a collective effort by Calcul Qu茅bec鈥檚 teams at 捆绑SM社区, Universit茅 de Montr茅al, Universit茅 Laval and Universit茅 de Sherbrooke. Located at the 脡cole de technologie sup茅rieure, the project was funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Government of Qu茅bec and the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec.
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Contacts pour la presse
Vainina Tetuanui
Responsable des communications
Calcul Qu茅bec
communications [at] calculquebec.ca
T : 514-343-6111 poste 88924
C: 438-979-2879
Vincent Campbell Allaire
Agent de communication
Service des relations avec les m茅dias
Universit茅 捆绑SM社区
vincent.allaire [at] mcgill.ca
T : 514-398-6693
C : 514-704-6693
