Cluster Computing:

AMD64 SPEEDS INTO MOTORCYCLE RACING W/ DUCATI CORSE TEAM

AMD announced that Ducati Corse, the racing team division of Italian high- performance motorcycle manufacturer, Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., plans to implement a server cluster based on the AMD Opteron processor, as well as AMD Opteron processor-based workstations in its research and development department. AMD has also been named the official technology partner of the Ducati Marlboro Team at an international news conference held this week by Ducati Corse in Bologna, Italy.

The Ducati Corse Technical Department will employ AMD64 technology for computer-intensive applications like CAD/CAE, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations, and engine design simulations.

"Working with a worldwide technology company like AMD is a great gain for the Ducati Corse team. The AMD Opteron processor-based server and workstations will give Ducati Corse a tremendous boost in developing and designing our future motorbikes," said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse managing director. "AMD64 technology offers us a new development path for our technical department without compromising our current software investments."

After 30 years, Ducati Corse re-entered the MotoGP Championship in 2003 with the Ducati Marlboro team, achieving the second position in the Constructor's World Championship.

"We are excited to be the technology partner of Ducati Corse, who will use AMD's innovative 64-bit technology to gain precious time in a world where milliseconds make the difference," said Henri Richard, AMD senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. "AMD64 technology is providing Ducati Corse with a solution designed to deliver the ultimate performance while protecting their current technology investments."

The high-performing AMD Opteron processor-based solutions will be used by Ducati Corse engineers to develop new features for the state-of-the-art Ducati motorbike engine and to simulate motorbike performances on the racetrack.

"Demanding computational applications for aerodynamics simulations or sophisticated fluid dynamics applications make existing hardware solutions obsolete," said Filippo Preziosi, Technical Director at Ducati Corse. "AMD64 technology is the only solution that can offer us 64-bit performance on leading-edge mission-critical applications while retaining software compatibility and protecting existing Ducati Corse technical expertise."

The sponsorship agreement with Ducati Corse reinforces AMD's impact to the sports market, while further endorsing AMD technology as a leading preference when high performance is critical to achieving success.