Global supercomputer leader Cray Inc. has announced that customers who purchase a Cray CX1(TM) deskside supercomputer can now personalize their systems with new storage features. Available immediately, Cray CX1 customers now have two more options in configuring their deskside supercomputers -- solid-state drives (SSDs) and large capacity, fixed-drive storage blades.

"The addition of these new storage options is intended to further broaden the customer base for the Cray CX1 system by providing enhanced storage choices to add to the existing compute, visualization and accelerator blades," said Ian Miller, senior vice president of the productivity solutions group and marketing at Cray. "Flexibility and customization are important aspects of the Cray CX1, and we are excited to provide our customers with yet another means to personalize their deskside supercomputers."

The large capacity, fixed-drive storage blade accommodates up to 4.5 terabytes of storage per blade. With a configuration that allows for up to four total storage blades, a single Cray CX1 system can accommodate 18 terabytes of total storage. The SSD storage option is available in two sizes -- 32 gigabytes or 64 gigabytes -- for a maximum of 256 gigabytes of total SSD storage. SSDs provide customers with faster read/write speeds and faster input/output operations per second than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). Also, SSDs consume less electrical power than HDDs while providing greater reliability due to the absence of moving parts.