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Cloud Computing With Techila and Windows Azure Opens up new Possibilities for Cancer Research
TAMPERE, Finland, June 14, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
The greatest challenge in cancer research is to identify genes that can
predict the progress of the disease. The number of genes and gene
combinations is vast, so powerful computing tools are required to achieve
this. Assisted by Techila Technologies Ltd (
http://www.techilatechnologies.com), a Finnish company specialising in
autonomic high-performance and technical computing, a research team at the
University of Helsinki utilized the huge computing capacity of the Windows
Azure cloud computing service for the first time. A computing task that
usually requires some 15 years can now be completed in less than five days.
In the treatment of breast cancer, it is of vital importance to be able
to predict the likelihood of the development of new metastases. The
prognosis for a breast cancer treatment in general is good. 'However,
metastases make breast cancer a fatal disease. Cells from the primary tumour
infiltrate other parts of the body, forming metastases. The problem is that
we are far from understanding this process in sufficient details. We do not
know how and which cells become separated from the tumour, where they go or
how they act there,' says Sampsa Hautaniemi, docent at the University of
Helsinki.
The research team has hundreds of breast cancer tumours at their
disposal. The aim is to determine who is most likely to develop metastases
by studying the activity of the genes and combining research data.
According to Hautaniemi, computing already plays a significant role in
modern medical research because the data available to researchers are
getting more extensive all the time. 'It certainly makes the future seem
brighter knowing that thanks to cloud computing services, computational
resources no longer restrict the setting of research objectives. Earlier on
we had to define our research plans based on whether certain computations
could be performed.'
Efficiency almost 100 per cent
According to Rainer Wehkamp, founder of Techila Technologies Ltd, this
was the first time the Windows Azure cloud service was utilised on such a
massive scale. 'Our aim was to demonstrate to the University of Helsinki
that the technology developed by Techila makes it easy to utilize massive
computing power from a cloud. There are also many potential applications
outside universities; this kind of computing power could be utilised by e.g.
insurance companies in their risk assessment calculations. And as the
systems are global in scale, the possibilities are almost limitless.'
The computing was performed in a cloud using the Autonomic Computing
technology developed by Techila, and a total of 1,200 processor cores were
involved in the operation. The Techila technology was originally developed
to utilise the computing power available in table-top computers and servers
in businesses and universities, so the transition from a complex
multiplatform environment to a homogenous cloud environment presented no
problems. 'Azure can be harnessed solely for computing purposes, so its
efficiency is extremely high, even as high as 99 per cent,' says Wehkamp.
Microsoft is happy with the results of the pilot project. 'Together,
Techila's Grid solution and Windows Azure create a well-functioning and
easy-to-use system. Cloud computing takes projects involving
high-performance computing to a totally new level. Azure is a massively
scalable computing platform service with sufficient resources to complete
even the most demanding projects,' promises solution sales manager Matti
Antila of Microsoft Finland.
Further information:
Full case-study: http://www.techilatechnologies.com/azure-case-study
Techila+Azure integration: http://www.techilatechnologies.com/azure
Windows Azure: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure
Techila Technologies Ltd
Techila Technologies Ltd, founded in 2006, is a privately held provider
of autonomic high-performance and technical computing solution based in
Tampere, Finland. Techila enables to utilize the massive capacity of cloud
platforms' and also to harness the idle capacity of organizations' existing
computer resources resulting in a solution with a superior usability,
scalability and total cost of ownership compared to other computing
solutions. It is seamlessly integrated to all major applications and
platforms and it requires minimal system management due to its autonomic
architecture. http://www.techilatechnologies.com
Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the world-wide leader in software,
services and solutions that help businesses, organisations and people to
utilise the possibilities of information technology in new, innovative ways.
In Finland, Microsoft employs 280 people, whose vision, shared by more than
3,000 partners, is to help the customer become more successful with the help
of Microsoft solutions. World-wide, Microsoft employs some 92,000 people in
102 countries. Microsoft's turnover in the financial year of 2009 was 62.48
billion USD.
Source: Techila Technologies Ltd
Techila Technologies Oy: Rainer Wehkamp, CEO, Tel. +358-40-960-5233, rainer.wehkamp@techilatechnologies.com; Microsoft Oy: Matti Antila, Sales, Solution Sales Manager, Windows Azure, Tel. +358-50-499-9623, matti.antila@microsoft.com; University of Helsinki, Sampsa Hautaniemi, Docent, Tel. +358-50-336-4765, sampsa.hautaniemi@helsinki.fi
Cloud Computing With Techila and Windows Azure Opens up new Possibilities for Cancer Research
TAMPERE, Finland, June 14, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
The greatest challenge in cancer research is to identify genes that can
predict the progress of the disease. The number of genes and gene
combinations is vast, so powerful computing tools are required to achieve
this. Assisted by Techila Technologies Ltd (
http://www.techilatechnologies.com), a Finnish company specialising in
autonomic high-performance and technical computing, a research team at the
University of Helsinki utilized the huge computing capacity of the Windows
Azure cloud computing service for the first time. A computing task that
usually requires some 15 years can now be completed in less than five days.
In the treatment of breast cancer, it is of vital importance to be able
to predict the likelihood of the development of new metastases. The
prognosis for a breast cancer treatment in general is good. 'However,
metastases make breast cancer a fatal disease. Cells from the primary tumour
infiltrate other parts of the body, forming metastases. The problem is that
we are far from understanding this process in sufficient details. We do not
know how and which cells become separated from the tumour, where they go or
how they act there,' says Sampsa Hautaniemi, docent at the University of
Helsinki.
The research team has hundreds of breast cancer tumours at their
disposal. The aim is to determine who is most likely to develop metastases
by studying the activity of the genes and combining research data.
According to Hautaniemi, computing already plays a significant role in
modern medical research because the data available to researchers are
getting more extensive all the time. 'It certainly makes the future seem
brighter knowing that thanks to cloud computing services, computational
resources no longer restrict the setting of research objectives. Earlier on
we had to define our research plans based on whether certain computations
could be performed.'
Efficiency almost 100 per cent
According to Rainer Wehkamp, founder of Techila Technologies Ltd, this
was the first time the Windows Azure cloud service was utilised on such a
massive scale. 'Our aim was to demonstrate to the University of Helsinki
that the technology developed by Techila makes it easy to utilize massive
computing power from a cloud. There are also many potential applications
outside universities; this kind of computing power could be utilised by e.g.
insurance companies in their risk assessment calculations. And as the
systems are global in scale, the possibilities are almost limitless.'
The computing was performed in a cloud using the Autonomic Computing
technology developed by Techila, and a total of 1,200 processor cores were
involved in the operation. The Techila technology was originally developed
to utilise the computing power available in table-top computers and servers
in businesses and universities, so the transition from a complex
multiplatform environment to a homogenous cloud environment presented no
problems. 'Azure can be harnessed solely for computing purposes, so its
efficiency is extremely high, even as high as 99 per cent,' says Wehkamp.
Microsoft is happy with the results of the pilot project. 'Together,
Techila's Grid solution and Windows Azure create a well-functioning and
easy-to-use system. Cloud computing takes projects involving
high-performance computing to a totally new level. Azure is a massively
scalable computing platform service with sufficient resources to complete
even the most demanding projects,' promises solution sales manager Matti
Antila of Microsoft Finland.
Further information:
Full case-study: http://www.techilatechnologies.com/azure-case-study
Techila+Azure integration: http://www.techilatechnologies.com/azure
Windows Azure: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure
Techila Technologies Ltd
Techila Technologies Ltd, founded in 2006, is a privately held provider
of autonomic high-performance and technical computing solution based in
Tampere, Finland. Techila enables to utilize the massive capacity of cloud
platforms' and also to harness the idle capacity of organizations' existing
computer resources resulting in a solution with a superior usability,
scalability and total cost of ownership compared to other computing
solutions. It is seamlessly integrated to all major applications and
platforms and it requires minimal system management due to its autonomic
architecture. http://www.techilatechnologies.com
Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the world-wide leader in software,
services and solutions that help businesses, organisations and people to
utilise the possibilities of information technology in new, innovative ways.
In Finland, Microsoft employs 280 people, whose vision, shared by more than
3,000 partners, is to help the customer become more successful with the help
of Microsoft solutions. World-wide, Microsoft employs some 92,000 people in
102 countries. Microsoft's turnover in the financial year of 2009 was 62.48
billion USD.
Source: Techila Technologies Ltd
Techila Technologies Oy: Rainer Wehkamp, CEO, Tel. +358-40-960-5233, rainer.wehkamp@techilatechnologies.com; Microsoft Oy: Matti Antila, Sales, Solution Sales Manager, Windows Azure, Tel. +358-50-499-9623, matti.antila@microsoft.com; University of Helsinki, Sampsa Hautaniemi, Docent, Tel. +358-50-336-4765, sampsa.hautaniemi@helsinki.fi