• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Mercury Computer Systems Delivers First DRI Standard Middleware Implementation

Posted on: Monday, 22 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2003--Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY) announced today that it has shipped the industry's first middleware product that includes the new Data Reorganization Interface (DRI) standard application programming interface (API). The DRI standard enables easier development of digital signal and image processing applications for multiprocessor computers. Traditional multiprocessor communication middleware typically falls short of providing both high performance and productivity for real-time sensor data processing. By incorporating the DRI interface into its industry-leading PAS(TM) multiprocessor middleware, Mercury enables users to maximize their use of industry standards while still meeting program requirements for performance, functionality, and productivity.

DRI is a software interface for performing data-parallel distribution and reorganization operations on N-dimensional data such as distributed matrix transpositions and reshaping. These operations are essential in scalable, high-performance embedded applications such as adaptive beamforming, space-time adaptive processing (STAP) radar, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The DRI interface hides the complexity of interprocessor communication and synchronization when implementing these advanced algorithms on a multicomputer.

"Mercury's leadership in the creation of the DRI specification provided the focus to achieve both productivity and portability without sacrificing performance," said Craig Lund, chief technology officer, Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. "Aimed squarely at multiprocessor image and signal processing, DRI requires little compromise traditionally associated with standards. Mercury's implementation enables application developers to leverage DRI for full performance of the hardware communication fabric."

Mercury's Parallel Acceleration System (PAS) with DRI delivers high performance with a standard API. The combination of PAS and DRI gives users a high-performance multiprocessor communication library, built-in data reorganization, and multi-buffered data movement or channels. The DRI channel implementation exploits Mercury RACE++(R) and RapidIO(R) switch fabric interconnect hardware to overlap communication and computation, increasing application performance.

Applications using PAS with DRI can interoperate effectively with Message Passing Interface (MPI), the standard API for inter-process communication often used for scientific computing applications. PAS with DRI also supports flexible use of both standard DRI and native PAS interfaces for applications that require communication support beyond that specified in DRI (e.g., for I/O device integration or supporting highly dynamic application mode changes). These features provide users the flexibility to maximize their use of industry standards, even when additional functionality is required to meet the needs of complex, real-time applications.

The Data Reorganization Forum, established with funding by the DARPA Information Technology Office, developed the Data Reorganization Interface. The DRI-1.0 API was ratified and published in September 2002 by the Data Reorganization Forum and can be accessed on the web at: http://www.data-re.org.

PAS with DRI is available immediately for use with the Mercury MCOE(TM) 6.0 software release.

For additional information, visit Mercury's web site at: www.mc.com/search/productslevel3.cfm?id=22&pid=12&category=Software.

About Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.

Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY) is the leading supplier of high-performance embedded, real-time digital signal and image processing computer systems. Mercury's products play a critical role in a wide range of applications, transforming sensor data to information for analysis and interpretation. In military reconnaissance and surveillance platforms, the company's systems process real-time radar, sonar, and signals intelligence data. Mercury's systems are also used in state-of-the-art medical diagnostic imaging devices including MRI, PET, and digital X-ray, and in semiconductor imaging applications including photomask generation and wafer inspection.

Based in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Mercury serves customers in North America, Europe and Asia through its direct sales force and a network of subsidiaries and distributors.

Visit Mercury on the Web: www.mc.com

RACE++ is a registered trademark, and PAS and MCOE are trademarks of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. Product and company names mentioned may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

More News in this Category