Fujitsu’s Grid Computing System for Telecom Carriers Passes Test

System jointly developed with France Telecom enables telecom carriers to efficiently leverage IT resources

Tokyo, April 12, 2006 — Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd. today announced that, in collaboration with France Telecom, they have developed a system based on grid computing(1) that enables telecommunications carriers to optimize use of their IT resources, and have successfully completed testing of the system. In these tests, service loads were automatically allocated among servers located in Paris, Tokyo, and Kawasaki, enabling the overall system to handle loads that would have been beyond the capacity of conventional systems.
This project is one outcome of an R&D partnership between Fujitsu and France Telecom announced in December 2004. Details of the technology will be presented at Grid World 2006, which opens May 11 at Tokyo International Forum, and at Fujitsu Forum 2006 to be held from May 18, also at Tokyo International Forum.
Background
One of the key requirements for a telecom carrier’s system is that it be able to respond to dramatic load fluctuations. With conventional fixed systems, servers would need to be ready in advance of demand peaks for each service, which is not an efficient way of allocating IT investment resources.
Test Overview
Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Limited, and France Telecom co-developed a grid service platform (GSP)(2) which allocates resources automatically in response to application loads, by using grid technologies to virtualize and integrate 24 servers located in the three locations of Paris, Tokyo, and Kawasaki, Japan.
The tests involved two applications: an interactive application called eConf (3) and a data analysis batch job, both which were run in the GSP environment and each with loads that varied over time. The tests successfully demonstrated that, using the GSP environment, server resources in the three locations can be autonomously distributed in response to application load volumes and business priorities, resulting in an efficient system configuration that takes full advantage of existing IT resources.
Developments
The grid computing-based project was initiated in December 2004 as part of the strategic R&D partnership between France Telecom and Fujitsu. In the first phase of the project which was completed in January 2005, existing products and applications such as CyberGRIP(4) middleware from Fujitsu, and data mining and video compression applications from France Telecom were brought together to verify that grid computing technologies could be deployed with these products. In the latest tests, the second phase of the project, joint development began in February 2005 with the objective to develop a platform that enables telecom carriers to widely make efficient and full use of their IT resources. Based on the results of these latest tests, the companies plan to conduct verification with actual services.
Glossary
1 Grid computing:
A distributed-computing technique in which multiple distributed computers are treated as a single, virtual, high-performance computer. By putting to use processing and storage capacity that would otherwise be going unused, and distributing processes among multiple computers, grid computing can handle intensive loads that are beyond the capacity of a single computer.
2 Grid Service Platform (GSP):
A telco service platform based on grid computing technology. A concept co-developed by Fujitsu and France Telecom. Fujitsu’s resource allocation middleware Adaptive Services Control Center (ASCC) is used in the GSP.
3 eConf :
A teleconferencing service that France Telecom has commercialized.
4 CyberGRIP:
Middleware technology for grid computing developed by Fujitsu Laboratories. CyberGRIP is the core of the Systemwalker CyberGRIP middleware product from Fujitsu.

About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting device technologies, highly reliable computing and communications products, and a worldwide corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its customers’ success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$44.5 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. For more information, please see: www.fujitsu.com

About Fujitsu Laboratories
Founded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Limited is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Multimedia, Personal Systems, Network, Peripherals, Advanced Materials and Electronic Devices. For more information, please see: jp.fujitsu.com/group/labs/en

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