HP storage packs a protein punch

In the latest sign of a strong life-sciences market, the State University of New York at Buffalo has tapped Hewlett-Packard to build a networked storage system for tasks such as protein analysis.

HP and the university announced Thursday that they are building a storage area network (SAN) with a capacity of 75 terabytes--enough room to house roughly four times the information in the Library of Congress.

SANs are networks that enable more efficient use and easier management of data storage devices. HP said its services unit will help design and install the university's system and will continue to provide on-site technical assistance for a minimum of two years. In addition, HP said it is providing funds for a one-year postdoctoral fellowship aimed at implementing a computational and data grid in western New York.

"HP technology will foster protein-structure determination research that UB scientists are conducting with colleagues at the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute by supporting a large data warehouse that we generate and then mine," said a statement from Russ Miller, professor of computer science and engineering at the university. Miller also directs the Center for Computational Research at the school.

Life sciences is seen as a fertile field for technology spending, as research organizations confront growing mounds of data and drug companies seek to efficiently develop new therapies. Other tech companies pursuing life sciences dollars include IBM, Oracle and Dell, which also counts the University at Buffalo among its customers.

The university's new SAN is made up of HP's Enterprise Virtual Arrays, a tape backup product, and Unix-based AlphaServer computer systems.