Processors and memories are arranged in nodes, where each node includes 2 processors, 512MB of memory, and an intelligent hub that connects the processors to the memory and both to other nodes in the system.
Memory is distributed among all nodes in the system, but functions a a single, shared address space.
Access to a node's memory is provided to both local and remote CPUs by the node hub. There is A Short Introduction to the Origin 2000 Architecture available online. The EPSCoR grant was awarded to Dr. Shih-I Chu of KU's Department of Chemistry and 13 collaborators from KU, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University who will use the system in basic scientific and engineering research and to develop computational tools useful in that research. The negotiation team was made up of three state-appointed representatives, and advised by a committee chaired by Dr. Chu. The Origin displayed excellent performance on benchmarks submitted by researchers at KU, as well as nationally-known benchmarks, chosen to reveal the computing characteristics of a variety of competing systems.