Behind the Deep Blue web site: a leading-edge, highly scalable IBM web server solution.

The server complex used for www.chess.ibm.com was designed with one goal in mind - to deliver real-time coverage and dynamic content to the end user.

With this in mind, the complex was built with content, images, moves, and commentary residing on 53 SP nodes spread across four sites (Schaumburg, IL, Columbus, OH, Southbury, CT and Portsmouth, United Kingdom). IBM's dynamic, load-balancing Network Dispatcher software "sprayed" incoming requests across the systems to ensure an even distrubtion of traffic, ensuring scalability and quick response time.

From the event site, content was published to an Andrews File System/Distributed File System environment that distributed data across the wide-area network. As requests came to the server complex, they were routed through the Domain Name Servers, then sent on to Network Dispatcher for routing to one of the nodes.

IBM Global Services, which operates the IBM Global Network provided the content hosting services for the rematch. IBM Global Network is the world's largest data network, providing Internet access in more than 50 countries.

During the games, online discussion groups hosted by Electric Minds were very active. All in all, over 23,299 users from 91 countries visited the discussions.

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on-site operations
server complex
end user
why did we do it?