Introduction

America is entering the Age of Information. The Federal High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) Program continues to be a driving force for progress in computing, communications, and information technologies; their application to fundamental challenges in science and engineering; and the R&D needed to realize the emerging Global Information Infrastructure (GII). As part of the Committee on Information and Communications (CIC) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the HPCC Program provides an important component of America's investment in its information future.

Congress authorized the HPCC Program with bipartisan support when it passed the High Performance Computing Act of 1991. Created as a dynamic R&D program, it has provided the sustained focus needed for developing these technologies and has adapted to the needs and opportunities in a changing world.

The spectacular images transmitted around the world of the recent collision of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet with the planet Jupiter illustrate the impact of HPCC technologies across multiple Federal agencies. It is an example of enabling new science and computational models, run on a new generation of scalable computing systems, communicated almost instantaneously on a web of networks, using the Hubble space telescope in unforeseen ways. This document describes numerous such major accomplishments and plans as the Program enters its fifth year. Some other highlights include:

High performance communications R&D has exploded from the evolution of the Internet to a new leading edge focus on high speed technologies for interoperable very high performance systems around the globe.
High performance computing systems have brought scalable parallel computing into a new era; today's focus is on new operating systems capabilities such as real-time systems, new component technologies, embedded systems, mass storage, and specialized high performance architectures.
Advanced software technologies R&D continues to make marked progress in microkernel operating systems, programming languages, and tools for developing software for parallel computing systems. Progress in scalable I/O, computational techniques, and performance measurement are key to on-going advances in addressing the Grand Challenges.
Enabling technologies for information infrastructure have focused on distributed computing; reliability; mobility; security and privacy; and tools for building distributed applications.
Interdisciplinary Grand Challenges R&D has led to new science and engineering in a wide range of disciplines. By modeling aircraft and their engines, combustion, the oceans, the atmosphere, the weather, pollution, climate, groundwater, earthquakes, vegetation, the human body, proteins, enyzmes, the human mind, materials, chemicals, car crashes, the galaxies, or a comet colliding with Jupiter, high performance computing and communications have brought the Nation new knowledge and new abilities.
The Program strongly supports enabling technologies for National Challenge applications, with emphasis on digital libraries and long- term electronic commerce technologies. Specific advanced applications include computer-based patient records, manufacturing testbeds, and public access to scientific information.
Basic research and education remain a foundation of the Program. Fundamental new ideas are being explored across the participating organizations. This report documents the strong commitment to education and training.

This supplement describes the accomplishments and plans of dedicated and creative scientists, engineers, individuals, and organizations throughout the U.S. It is organized to showcase both technologies and major application areas across the five major components of the Program (listed in Section IV). More information about individual research efforts is available on line as described on the next two pages. Such direct and immediate connectivity between producers and users empowers individuals and groups across the U.S. and around the world.