IBM today announced an innovative software strategy in supercomputing, allowing customers to leverage the General Parallel File System (GPFS) across mixed-vendor supercomputing systems for the first time. Additionally, Linux Networx is the first hardware vendor under the strategy to license GPFS for its customers who wish to manage seamless data pools in mixed vendor supercomputing environments. Linux Networx will sell, tune, optimize and support IBM's GPFS solution at customer data centers around the world as a tightly integrated element within its LS Series of Linux Supersystems. GPFS is an advanced file system for high performance computing clusters that provides high speed file access to applications executing on multiple nodes of a Linux or AIX cluster. GPFS scalability and performance are designed to meet the needs of data-intensive applications such as engineering design, digital media, data mining, financial analysis, seismic data processing and scientific research. "As the popularity of Linux-based computing clustering grows, so does the need for simplified and highly performant file management software that is able to function across any hardware platform," said David Turek, vice president of Deep Computing at IBM. "Customers will welcome the ability to use this superior file system across their data centers, in ways more flexible than ever before." Scientists at the forefront of supercomputing have used GPFS to create a scalable parallel file system that is capable of supporting hundreds of terabytes of storage within a single highly reliable file system. IBM continues to invest in GPFS aggressively to maintain and extend its leadership in terms of feature/function, scaling, performance, and reliability to serve growing customer needs for robust cluster/parallel file systems. IBM has several initiatives created to encourage GPFS support on all hardware platforms, including non-IBM hardware. IBM is offering access to GPFS source code to eligible clients, who may choose to adapt GPFS to other platforms and share their work with other licensees, further promoting collaboration and innovation in file systems. By providing access to the source code for GPFS, IBM is continuing its commitment to building the robust ecosystem of products that partners have come to expect when working with IBM.