AVES: A high performance computer cluster array for the INTEGRAL satellite scientific data analysis

In this paper we describe a new computing system array, designed, built and now used at the Space Astrophysics and Planetary Institute (IAPS) in Rome, Italy, for the INTEGRAL Space Observatory scientific data analysis. This new system has become necessary in order to reduce the processing time of the INTEGRAL data accumulated during the more than 9 years of in-orbit operation. In order to fulfill the scientific data analysis requirements with a moderately limited investment the starting approach has been to use a 'cluster' array of commercial quad-CPU computers, featuring the extremely large scientific and calibration data archive on line.