TAPE/#

Speaker

Comments

TAPE 25, A

003

Chair Dallum

Calls the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.  Introduces the high school students from Mitchell, Oregon, attending the committee meeting as guests.  Opens the informational meeting on high performance computing briefing.

HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING BRIEFING – INFORMATIONAL MEETING

015

Brian Wornath

LCN Media & Consulting Group.  Announces that he represents the Oregon High Performance Computing Consortium.  Distributes hard copy of General Proposal for Establishing an Oregon High Performance Computing Infrastructure PowerPoint presentation (EXHIBIT A).  Begins the presentation with an overview and the goals of developing a supercomputing resource in Oregon. 

055

Wornath

Provides an explanation of supercomputing and who would use it. 

074

Wornath

Describes the old-style, traditional, single-purpose computer called a “monolith.”   

088

Wornath

Discusses types of supercomputers.  Refers to case studies in EXHIBIT A, Page 14.

117

Wornath

Discusses how much unused computing time is available after regular office hours, creating an affordable and powerful computing “grid.” 

149

Wornath

Continues with justification to develop affordable high performance computing resources within Oregon. 

184

Wornath

Proposes to create a state resource that markets the unused capacity and the accompanying consulting services, offering “one-stop shopping” for high-performance computing.   

216

Wornath

Outlines sources for general initial capitalization.  States that earnings from operations would come from leasing affordable high-performance computing time.

237

Wornath

Shows comparison of estimated financial scenarios (EXHIBIT A). 

313

Wornath

Discusses the percentage of return and cost per year of operating a computer grid. 

381

Wornath

Suggests implementing a pilot project to determine the best technical solution.  Displays the estimated pilot profitability. 

TAPE 26, A

019

Wornath

Discusses a possible organizational structure similar to an Oregon high-performance computing consortium.  Continues with explanation of challenges. 

069

Wornath

Has spoken with Chief Information Officers around the state, who believe the concept is good. 

083

Wornath

Summarizes by stating that the technology is proven, can easily be applied to numerous applications and uses, and is easily expandable. 

121

Chair Dallum

Asks about the “down side.”

125

Wornath

Responds that information technology people will say this is a very specialized area.  Believes that ideally the universities and the state would co-develop a pilot program.

148

Chair Dallum

Inquires if this concept is attractive to private enterprise.  

155

Wornath

Replies, it is.  Continues that there are certain niches that don’t have the financial resources to take on a project such as this.  Cites examples of researchers who believe they can use.  

192

Chair Dallum

Asks what proposed legislation should look like.

196

Wornath

Answers that funding for a pilot project could be requested. 

227

Rep. Burley

Inquires what is preventing us from using this now. 

233

Wornath

Responds, nothing.  Indicates from a financial standpoint, it is best to consolidate and not have many small clusters. 

261

Rep. Burley

Refers to the case studies in EXHIBIT A that were mostly done by private corporations.  Comments that if we were going to use public resources, that is a different set of circumstances particularly since we are concerned with security issues.

270

Wornath

Agrees.  Offers to provide more up-to-date information.  Reports on other states that are doing this for economic development. 

313

Rep. Burley

States that the corporate environment is more controlled than ours as we have computers all across the state.  Asks how we would insure security.

323

Wornath

Agrees that some environments are better suited than others. 

329

Rep. Krummel

Asks if setting something like this up in the new data center might generate the dollars to pay for it.

338

Wornath

Replies, absolutely.  Reports that high performance computing is being done on a limited basis at the Oregon State University Oceanic School. 

404

Rep. Krummel

Asks if there have been discussions with the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) or other privately owned data centers to see if there is an interest.

416

Wornath

Has spoken with DAS and some small companies affiliated with academics.

439

Rep. Witt

Inquires if one has to be a participant in the network to be able to utilize supercomputing capacity.

TAPE 25, B

011

Wornath

Responds, yes, for security reasons.  States that the criteria needs to be identified in the business model.    

020

Rep. Witt

Asks if he is aware of any claims in other states that there is not equal access.

025

Wornath

Answers that he has not heard of any.

027

Rep. Wirth

Inquires if anyone has expressed an interest in helping finance a pilot study.

032

Wornath

Replies, absolutely. 

038

Rep. Wirth

Asks how much private money might be available.

046

Wornath

Replies that there is interest, and some medical schools are trying to lure grants.  Believes discussions with interested parties to determine how much money is available would be needed.

069

Rep. Wirth

Inquires if other states have included some public financing, and how far along they are in the process.   

077

Wornath

Answers, it varies. 

089

Wanda Brennan

High School Science Teacher, Mitchell, Oregon.  Cites problems of areas with limited internet access.  Asks how high-performance computing will benefit them.

096

Wornath

Responds that not all rural areas will receive the same amount of benefit; however, areas with community colleges perhaps can provide access.   

140

Chair Dallum

Closes the informational meeting on high performance computing and adjourns the meeting at 2:08 p.m.