Media:      Mardi Larson 612/683-3538
Financial:  Bill Gacki, 612/683-7372

ALABAMA SUPERCOMPUTER AUTHORITY ORDERS
NEW CRAY RESEARCH SUPERCOMPUTER

EAGAN, Minn., Nov. 3, 1993 -- The Alabama Supercomputer
Authority has ordered a CRAY C94A supercomputer system for
installation by the end of this year, Cray Research announced
today.  The system will be installed at the Alabama
Supercomputer Network Center in Huntsville, which is managed
by Nichols Research, Inc.

The CRAY C94A system replaces a CRAY X-MP system in use at
the supercomputer center since 1987.  The new system will be
used for expanded research and development by six major
universities throughout the state, including the University of
Alabama at Huntsville, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa; Auburn
University; Alabama A&M University; and the University of
South Alabama.

"The CRAY C94A system will give us three times more
throughput than our current system," said Alabama
Supercomputer Authority CEO Dr. Ben Barnes.  "We have been
operating at maximum capacity on the X-MP system for two to
three years, and our researchers are ready for the upgrade and
excited to begin harnessing the power of the CRAY C94A
system." 

The CRAY C94A system will also expand Alabama's
computational science program for high schools.  Through this
program, high school students develop computer programs for
the supercomputer to solve science problems such as thrust
factor control systems on booster rockets and geological
exploration for oil deposits.  Alabama was one of the first
states to establish a curriculum in computational science. 
Alabama high school students have won national awards for
supercomputer applications.

"Recently, we have had limited capacity to provide
supercomputer resources for the high school program," said
Barnes.  "The CRAY C94 system will enable us to expand this
program, which has proven valuable to the students and to our
state."

"Alabama was the first state to fund and operate a statewide
high-speed supercomputer network for academic research and
industrial development," said John Carlson, Cray Research CEO. 
"This order demonstrates the success and ongoing demand for
supercomputer resources within the state, and we are pleased
to provide the increased computing resources of the CRAY
C94A supercomputer."

Including Cray Research's entry level computer system, the
company has more than 450 systems installed worldwide.

Cray Research creates the most powerful, highest-quality
computational tools for solving the world's most challenging
industrial and scientific problems.

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