ray@think.com (David M. Ray) (11/15/88)
A n n o u n c i n g . . . The Connection Machine Network Server Pilot Facility (available from an Internet host near you) Thinking Machines Corporation has recently completed the installation of a Connection Machine on the Arpanet for use by members of the network community. The Connection Machine Network Server (CMNS) pilot facility is being funded by DARPA contract DACA76-88-C-0012 for the purpose of investigating the use of CM's over wide-area networks and developing the software and environments required to support remote users. The CMNS pilot facility hardware currently includes a 16K CM-2 (without floating point), a 5 Gbyte DataVault, and a VAX 6210 front-end processor. Upgrades to a 32K CM-2 with floating point and additional front-end capacity are under consideration. The software configuration consists of Release 5.0 of the CM system software running on Ultrix version 3.0. The network server front-end is directly accessible from the Arpanet as Internet host cmns.think.com (192.31.179.100). We are also actively pursuing high speed connections to mid-level regional nets of NSFNet. The pilot facility has a full-time staff including a facilities manager, application engineer, and system software developer. System operator and hardware support is also available during normal hours of operation. The facility is currently 'open' weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. This notice constitutes an open invitation to CM users, programmers, enthusiasts, and other interested parties to actively participate in this effort to make the CM into a true Network Machine. We at TMC have lots of ideas about how to accomplish this but relatively little actual experience (up to now) in supporting network-based CM users. We would welcome outside participation at any of the following levels: - if you simply reply to this mail message we will include you in the mailing list for news about networking the CM and updates on the CMNS project; we would also appreciate hearing which of the following areas are of particular interest to you: a) high-speed wide-area network connections for the CM b) batch and time-sharing support for CM applications c) system management aids and policies for CM environments d) DataVault file server and data management utilities e) on-line documentation, tutorials, source archives f) remote CM graphical applications, X windows, user interfaces g) remote procedure call (RPC) support for CM applications h) all of the above - if you would like an account on cmns.think.com and a chance to try out new network-oriented features (or just a chance to use the CM) please reply and include the following: your name organization desired login a phone # where you can be reached if need be type of CM applications you're interested in current level of familiarity with the CM favorite CM language (*Lisp, C*, CM Fortran) if any volume of data files (ball park) you will need - if you would be interested in attending a TMC-sponsored workshop on Networking the Connection Machine let us know; we will plan according to the level of outside interest If you have further questions or comments about the pilot facility or the CMNS project in general please get in touch with me. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. David Ray Connection Machine Network Server Project ray@think.com Thinking Machines Corporation harvard!think!ray 245 First Street (617) 876-1111 Cambridge, MA 02142-1214 x600