Scott Technology Center (67 & Pine - Aksarben)

[eomaha]

Good story in the World Herald...

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u ... id=1018122

... hinting at perhaps an outside shot at some manufacturing jobs as well.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Obviously fantastic news! I'd love to see a rendering of the new addition. The current building is 60,000 sf, and the new addition will be 80,000 sf! Plus, this is really getting great international attention. I mean, two German technology companies are already set to move into laboratories in the new space! Plus, like you said, e, the article hinted at the possibility of them bringing a robotics manufacturing plant here! How awesome would that be!!!

Great news.

[edsas]

A robotics lab? Nice. That ups Omaha's cool-factor another level. I'm very excited to see the "Silicon Prarie" take shape.

[eomaha]

Along those lines... a local tv station reported (nice to hear 'academic' recruiting news for a change!) one of Omaha's perfect ACT scoring high school students has decided to go to the Kiewit institute.

[edsas]

Yay! The brain-drain plug is working!

Now if only someone would start a film-industry incubator in Nebraska...

[StreetsOfOmaha]

You're going to, Mark!!

[edsas]

I thought you'd pick up on that.

[Coyote]

Just look at what the robotics program at Berkeley is doing:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... xoskeleton

[Coyote]

KUKA Robotics Commits to New Technical Facility at Scott Technology Transfer & Incubator Center;
New Facility to Provide Showroom Testing and Validation of Robotic Concepts

KUKA Robotics Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of industrial robots, today announced it has signed a lease at the Scott Technology Transfer & Incubator Center in Omaha, Nebraska with plans to open a new technical facility. The facility will serve as a new showroom testing and validation center for robotic concepts. Scheduled for a fall opening, the new center further demonstrates KUKA Robotics' commitment to develop new robotic technologies in the United States.

KUKA Robotics Corporation, with its parent company KUKA Roboter GmbH, Augsburg, Germany, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial robots, with an annual production volume approaching 10,000 units, and an installed base of over 60,000 units. The company's 5 and 6 axis robots range from 3kg to 570kg payloads, and 635mm to 3700mm reach, all controlled from a common PC based controller platform. KUKA robots are utilized in a diverse range of industries including the appliance, automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, logistics, food, pharmaceutical, medical, foundry and plastics industries. KUKA robots are found in a multitude of applications including: material handling, machine loading, assembly, packaging, palletizing, welding, bending, joining, and surface finishing.

[omahastylee459]

i hate the one story, fenced-in, utilitarian building they built next to the incubator center. With the modern and interesting architecture of PKI and the incubator center, this building was definitely a mistake. Not a single window on any wall. It only looks halfway interesting at night when it is lit up by ground lights.

[midtown charlie]

aaa

[omahastylee459]

aaa

could you elaborate on that?

[midtown charlie]

Yes it's Triple A's new World HQ. Actually Ping me privately or one of the admins if you want more elaborate info.

[jsheets]

Raytheon is moving into the Scott from Bellevue:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2155643
Although they've been talking about this for well over a year now.

[Maverick]

Part of the reason that other building is designed the way it is (no windows, for example), is intentional. I believe that building is designed for defense work, and I'm guessing it contains a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Informational Facilites), which is where work on classified information/designes has to be done. I'm not 100% sure on this, but probably 90%

[UNMCStudent]

i hate the one story, fenced-in, utilitarian building they built next to the incubator center. With the modern and interesting architecture of PKI and the incubator center, this building was definitely a mistake. Not a single window on any wall. It only looks halfway interesting at night when it is lit up by ground lights.

This is a great thing for UNO and PKI - not many Universities can offer exceptional students the chance to intern for the DOD *ON-SITE*

By July, StratCom plans to house a new Department of Defense-funded think tank at the fortified structure, which sits just east of the Scott Technology Center, said Maj. Jeff Jones, a StratCom spokesman....The Global Innovation and Strategy Center will employ private sector, military and academic experts, who will try to offer a broad perspective on StratCom's range of missions.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2146307

[Brad]

UNO Supercomputer

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10081102

Maybe it will rank as the world's 10th most-powerful computer when finished, University of Nebraska leaders say. Maybe it will rank 50th.

What's certain: The supercomputer soon to be installed on the University of Nebraska at Omaha's campus will lure companies to Omaha that need serious computing power.

"It's just a fantastic thing for everybody," said NU Regent Randy Ferlic of Omaha.

Construction is under way on the Holland Computing Center, expected to open on the first floor of the Peter Kiewit Institute in September, said Winnie Callahan, the institute's director.

The supercomputer will rev university research to previously unimaginable levels, Callahan said, making it possible for professors and students to do hands-on research they had previously only dreamed of.

It will also rev economic development: Several companies are looking to move to Omaha at least partly because of the chance to use the Holland Computing Center, Callahan said.

The computing center is being paid for in part by a $4.5 million donation, the vast majority from Omaha philanthropist Richard Holland. Further costs will be paid through a slew of as-yet-unannounced corporate partnerships.

[Big E]

Unimaginable levels?

I don't know...  I can imagine a lot.

Pretty coolio news, though.

Fragfest @ UNO, everyone!

-Big E

[Stargazer]

Maybe it will rank as the world's 10th most-powerful computer when finished, University of Nebraska leaders say. Maybe it will rank 50th.

Or maybe the most powerful between Minneapolis and Denver.

[NovakOmaha]

Maybe it will rank as the world's 10th most-powerful computer when finished, University of Nebraska leaders say. Maybe it will rank 50th.

Or maybe the most powerful between Minneapolis and Denver.

or between Mo. Valley and Gretna?

[nebugeater]

Maybe it will rank as the world's 10th most-powerful computer when finished, University of Nebraska leaders say. Maybe it will rank 50th.

Or maybe the most powerful between Minneapolis and Denver.

or between Mo. Valley and Gretna?

I don't know?  I have a pretty nice home computer in Gretna!

[Brad]

Institute's computer catches first fish

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10092694

A defense contractor soon will use the Kiewit Institute's new supercomputer to try to answer complex battlefield questions faster than the contractor ever could before.

How do civilians act immediately after an improvised explosive device detonates?

How can a commander best react to calm bystanders and catch the culprit?

These are the types of scenarios that Science Applications International Corp. will run starting this month at its new lab on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus, eventually using the Holland Computing Center to drive its research.

The company's laboratory, publicly unveiled Tuesday at the Kiewit Institute, will be operational later in August. The supercomputer, expected to be one of the world's 50 fastest, should be humming by September.

[RoadWarrior]

Maybe it will rank as the world's 10th most-powerful computer when finished, University of Nebraska leaders say. Maybe it will rank 50th.

Or maybe the most powerful between Minneapolis and Denver.

or between Mo. Valley and Gretna?

I don't know?  I have a pretty nice home computer in Gretna!

Maybe the most powerful computer between the Google facility in CB and nebugeater's place in Gretna?

[Brad]

Supercomputer gets a cool gift

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10101757

American Power Conversion, which is based in Rhode Island, has donated equipment valued at $1.5 million for the new high-performance computer being built for the Holland Computing Center at the Kiewit Institute.

APC donated equipment for the internal cooling, power and computer rack infrastructure, said Winnie Callahan, director of the Kiewit Institute on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus.

[Brad]

Supercomputer installed at Peter Kiewit Institute

The last of 1,151 nodes was slipped into place on the Kiewit Institute's supercomputer Monday, but the process of creating one of the world's most powerful computers is far from finished.

The nodes, or subsidiary computers, are "racked, stacked, labeled and cabled," said Jim Skirvin of the Holland Computing Center. But the complex machine, expected to be one of the world's 50 fastest, still needs fine-tuning.

After testing and tweaking, the computer should begin operating no later than Nov. 1, said Winnie Callahan, the institute's director.

The system — touted at its July unveiling as a significant draw for new research and economic development in Nebraska — should then be available to both university researchers and private corporations.

[Coyote]

Gallup first to sign up for supercomputer

The Gallup Organization became the first group Monday to sign a contract for a specific project using the Kiewit Institute's new supercomputer. Gallup plans to run its World Poll on the powerful equipment beginning early next year.

Gallup is the first organization to sign a contract for a specific project now that the computer is nearly completed. Five to 10 other organizations are expected to begin signing contracts soon, officials said.

[MTO]

Leopard should run great on this thing.

[Asten]

Leopard should run great on this thing.

Hah.  It's not apple hardware, so it won't run at all. ;)

[Ben]

Leopard should run great on this thing.

Hah.  It's not apple hardware, so it won't run at all. ;)

Actually, with the Apple OS being Linux based now, they could probably run on just about anything.  Its pretty much a software lockout that's preventing people from loading it on PC's now (I'm surprised we haven't heard of people cracking it to do this, as I know people have gotten Windows to run on Macs).  Gone are the days of vastly different componentry and software logic, its very similar hardware now.  

Believe it or not, Apple has pretty much turned into a very well branded PC.  Its amazing how their great marketing and niche following has kept up the differentiation....

I don't know if there are many Mac fans on here, and if so, I'm sure several of you will disagree, but its really the truth.

Anyway, back to the UNO supercomputer.  Lets not turn this into a mac vs pc thing.

[Big E]

There are reports of people having Leopard running on Windows paced PCs already.  I can't find the article, but I know I read it already this week since Leopard was released on Friday.

And the whole "Macs aren't PCs" thing is a non-argument.  PC is "Personal Computer", and Macs are the grand-daddy of personal computers as we know them.  It's a lot like saying you have an IBM compatible PC.  Guess what?  IBM sold their PC business to Chinese giant Lenovo 2 years ago.  So you now have a "Communist compatible" PC.  

The thing that REALLY differentiates them these days (aside from the obvious marketing, but that's really more to do with iPods and iPhones) is the design of the OS.

-Big E

[Big E]

Knew I had seen it somewhere:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/mac-osx-c ... 29732.html

The installation process involves a patched Leopard DVD, and some additional files that are downloaded via a zip file and usually installed using a flash drive. Leopard can then be installed on a clean MBR (Master Boot Record) partition. This crack is in its infancy, so should you decide to try it, keep in mind that the risk to your system is unknown, and that some of your hardware, such as sound cards and network cards, may not work under Leopard. The dangers and the bugs will certainly be reduced with time. Apple, of course, does not condone this process.

-Big E

[Asten]

Actually, with the Apple OS being Linux based now, they could probably run on just about anything.  Its pretty much a software lockout that's preventing people from loading it on PC's now (I'm surprised we haven't heard of people cracking it to do this, as I know people have gotten Windows to run on Macs).  Gone are the days of vastly different componentry and software logic, its very similar hardware now.  

Believe it or not, Apple has pretty much turned into a very well branded PC.  Its amazing how their great marketing and niche following has kept up the differentiation....

I don't know if there are many Mac fans on here, and if so, I'm sure several of you will disagree, but its really the truth.

Anyway, back to the UNO supercomputer.  Lets not turn this into a mac vs pc thing.

Darwin, which is a piece of OSX, is BSD based, not Linux.  Mixing those up is a death sentence in some circles.  ;)  But of course, BSD runs on most anything too.    But then you have a lot of Apple stuff on top of Darwin, and that's not portable without the source code.

MacOS X doesn't run on anything else legally.  It's forbidden by the software, and forbidden by the license.   Yeah, there's hacks, but Apple tends to actively pursue shutting those things down, technically, and with the lawyers.

[Coyote]

Holland Computing Center Opens a Global Portal in the Peter Kiewit Institute -University of Nebraska

Through dynamic and forward leaning partnerships, The Peter Kiewit Institute will conduct the “virtual” opening of one of the world’s largest and most powerful university-based clusters (supercomputers) at the Holland Computing Center. Invited guests will be in attendance. Dignitaries representing Microsoft, Google, American Power Conversion, Platform Computing, Force 10, Cisco, Panasas, Cox Communications, University of Nebraska, local business and industry leaders, among others. Friday, December 7th, 2007 @ 4:00 P.M.

[omahastylee459]

They were setting up an event tent today at PKI...OUTSIDE.  I wonder if the tent is for the opening on friday.  If so I hope they have some heavy duty heaters in place.

[Coyote]

Kiewit supercomputer to rank among top 20 in world

The supercomputer has a name: Firefly, to symbolize how fireflies communicate with each other using light and the way more than 1,100 individual computers will operate together as the supercomputer. The supercomputer still is being tested and will begin operating next month, Callahan said. Preliminary tests show the supercomputer is 43rd in the world for processing speed. Additions to the supercomputer and fully powering it up will put it among the top 20, Callahan said. When completed, will be capable of nearly 70 trillion processes per second.

[Coyote]

Scott Technology Center expands data facility 4,500 square feet

The Scott Data Center, located at the Scott Technology Center, announced on June 8 the addition of 4,500 square feet of co-location space in order to meet the demands of technology-based companies. By July 2011, the data center plans to expand its services even further with the addition of 48,000 square feet of raised floor space and 32,000 square feet of custom built space.

[Brad]

Scott Data Center becoming powerhouse

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110224/M ... powerhouse

The Scott Data Center is logged in and prepared to begin construction on an expansion and renovation plan that will make the Omaha center one of the most powerful and energy-efficient operations of its type in the Midlands.

The plan includes a renovation of 50,000 square feet of the operation’s current 80,000-square-foot data center and a new 30,000-square-foot central power plant. The plant will boost energy efficiency and increase power density so the data center can power more racks of servers and computer equipment, while also keeping them cool and running smoothly.

The project, designed over the last year and funded by the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012. The renovations to the existing data center will begin in the coming days, said Ken Moreano, executive director at the Scott Technology Center, where the data center is located.

[Brad]

Not too much to see yet.

[mcarch]

Is this above ground or below?

[OmahaChef]

No excavation was done, and the footings being poured are at ground level.