Virtual Compute Corporation

Service Provider Fuels its Future with Sun Grid Compute Utility

Virtual Compute Corporation is a global provider of on-demand high-performance computing resources and IT infrastructure management for commercial and government entities. The company applies its deep understanding of the technical computing requirements of clients in the energy industry, space sciences and life sciences fields to provide tailored solutions that meets customers’ unique needs.

Customer Challenges

Scale infrastructure quickly to meet customer demands for high- performance computing power
Avoid large capital outlays required to build out IT infrastructure to meet customer demands
Meet customer deadlines

Solution

Virtual Compute Corporation uses the Sun Grid Compute Utility to handle work from its energy industry customers that exceeds the capacity of its own IT infrastructure. The Sun Grid gives Virtual Compute Corporation the ability to quickly and efficiently run compute-intensive jobs for its customers.

Business Results

Flexibility to meet cyclical business demands instantly through on-demand compute resources
Saved up to $3 million and two months time by avoiding build-out of additional infrastructure to handle customer project
Won customer business with on-demand computing capabilities
Helped customers meet project timelines and gain competitive edge by speeding time to market
Utilized 2 million CPU hours with plans to consume 3-6 million additional hours in 2006

Products and Services

Sun Grid Compute Utility

Story Details

The energy industry is strapped when it comes to having enough computing resources to run demanding jobs, such as crunching seismic survey data to create maps showing where to drill for oil and gas. Houston-based Virtual Compute Corporation (vCompute) fills that need by providing industry expertise and a high-performance computing infrastructure to run its customers’ applications. To adequately meet the ebb and flow of work with its energy industry customers, vCompute sought to extend its IT infrastructure to provide on-demand computing resources without having to make a time-consuming and substantial capital investment in systems, floor space, power and labor that might not be fully utilized in the future. The Sun Grid Compute Utility provides vCompute and its customers with a flexible, scalable and cost-effective solution for handling these compute-intensive projects.

vCompute saw Sun as an ideal partner to help it extend delivery of IT-as-a-service. The low-cost pricing of the Sun Grid made compute outsourcing an affordable and attractive long-term solution. vCompute had confidence that Sun’s investment in data centers dedicated to utility grid computing, along with the quality and breadth of Sun's compute resources, would deliver the positive outcomes that in turn strengthen customer loyalty. Data center technical support offers peace of mind because the company knows that any issues will be resolved quickly without additional expense to vCompute or its customers.

" By using the Sun Grid Compute Utility, we were able to save up to $3 million and ramp up to production much more quickly than if we did it on our own. The Sun Grid has also been instrumental in helping us meet customer expectations and increase sales. Sun has proved to be a solid technology partner and has beaten the pants off the competition with an affordable and technically superior solution. "

— Edward Hawes, CEO, Virtual Compute Corporation

By utilizing the Sun Grid Compute Utility, vCompute has been able to dynamically scale its business to meet overflow demand beyond the current capabilities of its internal data center. The company has already used two million CPU hours on the Sun Grid and plans to use another three to six million by the end of 2006. Using the grid also simplifies business for vCompute and its clients. vCompute avoids expensive infrastructure amendments while providing on demand service, while customers get access to the compute resources they need, when they need them, and at an affordable price.

vCompute has already saved millions of dollars by using the Sun Grid. To support one of its customers, Paradigm, vCompute used 1,400 CPUs to perform a compute-intensive job under a tight deadline. Paradigm met the due date to its customer for an on-time delivery. Without the Sun Grid, vCompute would have had to invest as much as $3 million to scale its own data center, a process that would have taken about 60 days. The lengthy timeframe may have caused it to lose Paradigm’s business.

Flexible, efficient and affordable, Sun Grid provides the right resources at the right time, delivering a winning combination of rapid time to market and pricing that helps vCompute and its customers retain a competitive edge. vCompute’s partnership with Sun provides a win-win scenario that will continue to power its future.