# IRIDIS
**Wikidata**: [Q74267193](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q74267193)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/iridis

## Summary  
IRIDIS is a high‑performance supercomputer built by Lenovo that runs the Linux operating system. It is listed in the TOP500 as system 179161 and delivers a peak Rmax performance of 864.5 teraflops.

## Key Facts  
- **Type:** Supercomputer (instance of supercomputer).  
- **Manufacturer:** Lenovo, the Chinese multinational technology company founded in 1984.  
- **Operating System:** Linux, the Unix‑like OS first released on 1991‑09‑17.  
- **TOP500 ID:** 179161.  
- **Peak Performance (Rmax):** 864.5 teraflops, recorded on 2017‑11‑01 and again on 2018‑06‑01.  
- **Purpose:** Designed for large‑scale scientific and engineering computations.  
- **Location:** Deployed in a data‑center environment (specific site not disclosed in source).  
- **Related Entity:** Lenovo, which employs ≈77,000 people (as of 2023‑07‑19) and is headquartered in Beijing, China.  

## FAQs  

### Q: What is IRIDIS?  
A: IRIDIS is a Lenovo‑manufactured supercomputer that runs Linux and is ranked in the TOP500 list of the world’s fastest computers.

### Q: How fast is IRIDIS?  
A: IRIDIS achieves a peak Rmax performance of 864.5 teraflops, as measured in November 2017 and June 2018.

### Q: Which operating system does IRIDIS use?  
A: IRIDIS runs the Linux operating system, originally released on 1991‑09‑17.

### Q: Who built IRIDIS?  
A: The supercomputer was built by Lenovo, the Chinese multinational technology firm founded in 1984.

### Q: Is IRIDIS listed among the world’s fastest computers?  
A: Yes, it appears in the TOP500 ranking under system ID 179161.

## Why It Matters  
IRIDIS represents a significant milestone in high‑performance computing because it combines Lenovo’s hardware expertise with the open‑source flexibility of Linux. Delivering 864.5 teraflops of computational power, the system enables researchers to tackle data‑intensive tasks such as climate modeling, genomics, and advanced simulations that would be infeasible on conventional hardware. Its inclusion in the TOP500 underscores its competitive standing among global supercomputers, highlighting the growing role of commercially produced, Linux‑based platforms in scientific discovery. By providing a scalable, cost‑effective solution, IRIDIS helps democratize access to petascale resources, accelerating innovation across academia, industry, and government sectors.

## Notable For  
- **TOP500 Presence:** Listed as system 179161, confirming its status among the world’s fastest supercomputers.  
- **High Rmax Value:** Sustained peak performance of 864.5 teraflops across two measurement periods (Nov 2017, Jun 2018).  
- **Linux Foundation:** Operates exclusively on Linux, showcasing the OS’s suitability for extreme‑scale workloads.  
- **Lenovo Manufacturing:** Demonstrates Lenovo’s capability to produce cutting‑edge HPC hardware beyond consumer devices.  
- **Dual‑Date Performance Validation:** Independent performance records in 2017 and 2018 confirm reliability and consistency.

## Body  

### Overview  
IRIDIS is classified as a **supercomputer** and is manufactured by **Lenovo**, a technology company established in 1984 in Beijing, China. The system runs the **Linux** operating system, which originated on 1991‑09‑17.  

### Technical Specifications  
- **Operating System:** Linux (Unix‑like).  
- **Performance Metric:**  
  - **Rmax (Peak Performance):** 864.5 teraflops.  
  - **Measurement Dates:** 1 November 2017 and 1 June 2018.  
- **TOP500 Identifier:** 179161, confirming its ranking among the fastest computers worldwide.  

### Manufacturer Background  
- **Lenovo**:  
  - Founded: 1984.  
  - Headquarters: Beijing, People’s Republic of China.  
  - Employees: ≈77,000 (as of 19 July 2023).  
  - Industry focus: electronics and computer hardware.  

### Operating System Context  
- **Linux**:  
  - First released on 17 September 1991.  
  - Widely used in HPC for its stability, scalability, and open‑source nature.  

### Role in High‑Performance Computing  
IRIDIS’s teraflop capability enables large‑scale parallel processing, essential for scientific simulations, data analytics, and complex modeling tasks. Its presence in the TOP500 list signals that it meets stringent benchmarks for speed, efficiency, and reliability.  

### Deployment and Use Cases  
While the exact deployment site is not specified, supercomputers like IRIDIS are typically housed in dedicated data centers and accessed by research institutions, universities, and industry partners for tasks such as:  
- Climate and weather forecasting.  
- Molecular dynamics and drug discovery.  
- Artificial intelligence training at scale.  

### Future Outlook  
Continued upgrades to hardware components and software stacks (e.g., newer Linux kernels) can further boost IRIDIS’s performance, keeping it competitive in the rapidly evolving HPC landscape.