SGI Announces Key Sales Wins for First Quarter
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In its recently completed first quarter for fiscal year 2003, SGI (NYSE: SGI) posted several key sales wins, saw its government and defense sector grow to a third of its total business, launched its new-generation InfiniteReality4(TM) graphics for SGI(R) Onyx(R) family visualization systems, and began generating excitement for its upcoming expansion of the SGI(R) Origin(R) 3000 series and a system based on Intel(R) Itanium(R) 2 processors and SGI(R) NUMAflex(TM) architecture running the Linux(R) operating system.
Among the first-quarter wins in the government and defense sector were:
-- Link Simulation & Training, a division of L-3 Communications
(NYSE: LLL) in Arlington, Texas, purchased eight SGI(R) Onyx(R) 3000
series high-performance graphics systems to power U.S. Air Force F-22
Full Mission and Weapons Tactics Trainers. SGI(R) visualization systems
are playing a critical role in the F-22 training program by providing
Air Force pilots with a high-fidelity virtual training environment that
realistically simulates this next-generation air superiority fighter.
Link Simulation & Training has bought two 32-processor SGI(R) Onyx(R)
3800 visualization systems, each with eight graphics pipes, that will
power F-22 Full Mission Trainers, providing 360-degree out-the-window
views, high-fidelity cockpit displays and simulation of correct
aircraft behavior. In addition to air- and ground-based threats, the F-
22 Full Mission Trainers will also simulate a variety of atmospheric
and environmental conditions, including wind shear, turbulence, storm
cells and lightning. F-22 Weapons Tactics Trainers will be powered by
six 16-processor SGI Onyx 3800 visualization systems, each with a
single graphics pipe, which will support a high-fidelity tactical
environment. The trainers will provide F-22 pilots with simulated
controls and displays, enabling them to practice individual and team
weapon systems employment.
-- In support of new missile defense test and simulation programs managed
by the Missile Defense Agency, COLSA Corporation of Huntsville, Ala.,
has selected SGI to provide computer systems to serve as the central
architecture for testbeds located in the U.S. Army Space and Missile
Defense Command's Advanced Research Center (ARC). In addition to
Silicon Graphics(R) Octane2(TM) visual workstations, COLSA acquired
SGI(R) Origin(R) 3800 servers to represent the Ground-Based Midcourse
Defense element hardware, and a 64-processor Origin 3800 server for the
High-Performance Computing Center at the ARC. The $1.5 million deal
will enhance the ARC's vast compute resources in support of a number of
national weapons systems and missile defense programs.
The first quarter marked the introduction of the new-generation InfiniteReality4 graphics from SGI. The average human eye can see over 9 million pixels of information, yet many creative and technical professionals are forced to work with visualization systems that can only display 1 million or 2 million pixels per graphics pipe -- a general limitation of other vendor offerings. SGI Onyx family systems with InfiniteReality4 graphics are capable of generating the highest quality interactive visual results on displays as large as 130 million pixels. This level of realism enables small or large groups of scientists, engineers and creative professionals to focus on solving a problem within a global context where all relevant information is displayed. Among the customers installing InfiniteReality4 graphics were:
-- People's Republic of China has contracted with the Beijing Planetarium
to install an SGI Onyx family visualization system connected to Zeiss
Laser All-Dome projectors. The graphics supercomputing system will be
the cornerstone of a new planetarium planned for installation at the
revered institution, founded in 1957. This contract represents SGI
Greater China's most significant win to date. SGI's Digital Planetarium
solution offers the perfect combination of the latest breakthroughs in
laser projection and SGI high-end graphics, revolutionizing the use of
digital technology to demonstrate astronomical phenomena. For this
installation SGI is teamed with leading-edge projection technology
provider Carl Zeiss, with which SGI has jointly marketed solutions that
enable the projection of very-high-resolution real-time 3D graphics in
planetariums since 2000. SGI real-time graphics allow users to navigate
through huge science data sets to create a different show for each
performance, if desired. In this first-ever all-laser dome
installation, audiences will be able to enjoy an immersive,
entertaining and educational experience. The system comprises a
24-processor SGI(R) Onyx(R) 300 system with six InfiniteReality4
graphics pipes, 12GB memory and 12 SGI(R) TP900 144GB storage systems.
-- TV2 Norway: Photo-realistic broadcast graphics and the industry's most
sophisticated virtual sets will enhance news, weather and sports
broadcasts across Norway with TV2's purchase of its 10th Silicon
Graphics(R) Onyx2(R) visualization system with the new InfiniteReality4
graphics engine running viz [virtual studio](TM) software from vizrt.
Longtime SGI customer TV2 is a privately owned, commercial broadcaster
celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Headquartered in Bergen,
Norway, with additional offices and studio facilities in Oslo, TV2 uses
a combination of SGI systems and viz [virtual studio] software or
viz|content pilot(TM) template-based graphics applications on sports,
news, and some programs and entertainment shows. One of the first
European broadcasters to make the transition to a server-based playout,
TV2 also utilizes SGI Media Server(TM) for broadcast as its primary
transmission and on-air server in Bergen.
NUMAflex(TM) Global Shared-Memory Architecture
The first quarter also generated excitement for upcoming systems based on the SGI NUMAflex global shared-memory architecture -- a modular, brick-like concept that allows CPU and memory, I/O interfaces, storage, and system interconnects to be scaled independently to create a wide variety of configurations to meet specific customer requirements.
In November, SGI will deliver a new model of the Origin 3000 server based on MIPS(R) processor and the IRIX(R) OS that surpasses industry standards for high-density, low-power UNIX(R) systems -- reducing total cost of ownership and deployment of supercomputing technology in more environments than previously possible.
In July, SGI announced its intent to deliver the world's most scalable Linux supercomputer based on Intel Itanium 2 processors and the SGI NUMAflex architecture. In September the company set two world records: demonstrating linear scalability from 2 to 64 processors on an early-stage Itanium 2-based system and record-breaking results among microprocessor-based systems on the STREAM Triad benchmark, which tests memory bandwidth performance. Additionally, results show that the upcoming Itanium 2-based SGI system has outperformed high-end microprocessor-based systems and vector-based supercomputers.
Among the first implementations of this new system will be:
-- The Queensland Government through the Queensland Parallel Supercomputer
Foundation has committed funds to an Itanium 2-based SGI scalable Linux
system built on the innovative SGI NUMAflex shared-memory architecture.
The system will be located at the University of Queensland and is
intended to be used for general-purpose scientific high-performance
computing across a range of research disciplines by all universities in
Queensland. The major users are expected to be in the life sciences,
engineering, environmental and earth systems fields.
Among other key first-quarter wins were:
-- Volkswagen AG (VW) chose SGI as the lead contractor and system
integrator for its new Virtual Reality Studio installed in Wolfsburg,
Germany. The project, valued at _1 million ($975,000 U.S.), was
completed in September 2002. The newest virtual reality (VR)
environment marks the 20th facility powered by SGI advanced
visualization systems for VW in Germany. An SGI Onyx 300 system with
InfiniteReality3(TM) graphics drives the VR facility, a large-scale
environment that enables VW to visualize and review 3D digital models
in high resolution and brilliant quality. The manufacturing department
responsible for the VW car brand is the primary user of the facility,
taking advantage of its many visual analysis and simulation
technologies to discuss and evaluate digital designs from virtual
tooling prototypes to completely laid-out, full-scale assembly lines or
fabrication buildings.
-- SGI Japan Ltd. has completed the implementation of an SGI Origin 3800
high-performance computer for Mazda Motor Corporation. Mazda has been
conducting various advanced challenges in its new automobile design and
development and the SGI system is being used to enhance its
computer-aided engineering (CAE) capabilities for fluid dynamics and
structure analysis for automobile engine design and development. The
CAE workflow at Mazda has been significantly empowered by the
deployment of this new SGI Origin 3800 system, and Mazda's investments
for its advanced, industry-leading CAE environment are expected to
continue. The SGI Origin 3800 system is powered by 56 processors and an
SGI TP9100 storage system with 1.7TB of storage.
-- Sahara India Media Communications Ltd. will launch one national and six
regional 24-hour news channels later this year. A 10-year-old print
media company, Sahara India moved into commercial broadcasting two
years ago, with its launch of the Hindi-language Sahara TV
entertainment channel. For its major foray into the TV news business,
one of Sahara India's primary goals is to differentiate itself from
India's other 24-hour news channels by using eye-popping graphics and
true virtual set technology for news, weather and sports. After testing
several competing systems, Sahara India chose six Silicon Graphics
Onyx2 high-performance visualization systems with SGI InfiniteReality3
graphics engines and graphics-to-video output and SGI(R) XT-DIVO
digital video options to run viz|content pilot template graphics and
viz [virtual studio] software from vizrt. The launch of the news
channels, to be broadcast in Hindi and English, is currently planned
for sometime this fall.
-- For broadcast media serving and archive management at Georgia Public
Broadcasting, prime systems integrator MCSi selected SGI Professional
Services for systems integration, three SGI Media Server for broadcast
systems, two SGI Origin 300 servers and CXFS(TM) shared filesystem
software, along with Hitachi 9980V storage and archive management
software. The combined systems will be used to manage all the content
for broadcast (play-to-air) and archive at George Public Television
(GPTV). GPTV delivers PBS and local programming -- the only in-depth,
statewide coverage of Georgia events and issues.
This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding financial and contractual commitments that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely unduly on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future or current performance. Such risks and uncertainties include long-term program commitments, the performance of third parties, the sustained performance of current and future products, financing risks, the ability to integrate and support a complex technology solution involving multiple providers and users, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's most recent SEC reports, including its reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. |
