SGI Altix Systems With up to 8TB of Global Shared Memory Raise the Bar Again For HPC and Business Computing

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Silicon Graphics, Inc.
(SGI) (Nasdaq: SGIC) global shared memory architecture enables industrial,
government and university researchers to gain insight into larger data sets
than ever thought possible. With 8TB of global shared memory, SGI(R) Altix(R)
systems are able to hold entire data sets in memory and eliminate many types
of application and system I/O — accelerating scientific research and I/O
bound business computing problems.

With up to 8TB of global shared memory with as few as 12 processor cores,
SGI Altix 4700 systems are enabling applications for a number of important
projects:

— NASA’s SGI Altix 4700 system, installed at the NASA Advanced
Supercomputing facility at Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. in
August 2007, was the first supercomputer to operate 2,048 processor cores and
4TB of memory under a single copy of the Linux(R) operating system — by
processor count, the largest single system image (SSI) based upon the Linux
operating system in the world.

— At the Center for Information Services and High-Performance Computing
at Technische Universitat Dresden (TU Dresden), an SGI Altix 4700 system
powered by 2,048 Intel(R) Itanium(R) processor cores and 6.5TB of main memory
is enabling researchers throughout Germany to break through information
processing barriers in a broad range of disciplines. For example, a team of
German researchers is running complex simulations to determine how medical
device makers might fuse biological materials with plastics or ceramics to
create the ideal hip replacement. TU Dresden’s system has enabled over a 100
fold speedup in running complex simulations, with a large eddy simulation that
used to take more than three months, completing overnight on the SGI Altix
4700 system.

— The Institute for Molecular Science in Japan uses a 512-core SGI Altix
4700 system with 6TB shared memory and a 128-core SGI Altix 4700 with 2TB
shared memory. Because of SGI’s scalable architecture, both systems can be
attached and create an 8TB global shared memory environment.

— SGI Altix systems with 4TB to 8TB of memory are also being used to
develop advanced reservoir simulation applications and models which can
increase the fraction of discovered oil that can be recovered — extending
their life by many years and increasing their value by billions of dollars.

“With 8TB of global shared memory on the SGI Altix 4700, scientists and
engineers around the world are able to boost productivity by integrating
theory, simulation and experimentation more closely than every before,” said

Michael Brown, director of server and visualization marketing at Silicon
Graphics. “With 8TB of global shared memory, scientists, engineers and
businesses can solve problems that are 4x larger than on the largest systems
from IBM and HP, and 8x larger than the largest systems available from Sun.
This allows developers to link multi-disciplinary applications that operate on
different scales to create more complete pictures of their work — gaining
invaluable insights that lead to breakthrough results.”

Additional Information:

— For more information on SGI Altix systems with GSM visit:
http://www.sgi.com/products/servers/altix/4000/ or
http://www.sgi.com/products/servers/altix/memory.html

— NASA Selects SGI To Provide Largest Shared-Memory System In The World
(Press release, July 23, 2007)
http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroom/press_releases/2007/july/nasa.html

— SGI Altix Global Shared Memory (White Paper)
http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3785.pdf

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Silicon Graphics, Inc.

Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) (NASDAQ: SGIC), is a leader in high-
performance computing. SGI delivers a complete range of high-performance
server and storage solutions along with industry-leading professional services
and support that enable its customers to overcome the challenges of complex
data-intensive workflows and accelerate breakthrough discoveries, innovation
and information transformation. SGI solutions help customers solve their
computing challenges whether it’s enhancing the quality of life through drug
research, designing and manufacturing safer and more efficient cars and
airplanes, studying global climate, providing technologies for homeland
security and defense, or helping enterprises manage large data. With offices
worldwide, the company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and can be
found on the Web at http://www.sgi.com.

Note: SGI corporate phone numbers in Sunnyvale, CA are changing to reflect
the local area code. The new main number for SGI corporate headquarters is
408-524-1980.

Silicon Graphics, SGI, the SGI cube, the SGI logo, SGI Altix, and NUMAflex
are registered trademarks of SGI in the United States and/or other countries
worldwide. Intel and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel
Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. All
other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

     MEDIA CONTACT
     Marla Robinson
     marlar@sgi.com
     256.773.2371

     SGI PR HOTLINE
     408-524- 2810

SOURCE Silicon Graphics, Inc.