Matt Blaze <mab@research.att.com> writes:
Finally, the NSA report offers estimates of the time required to perform exhaustive search using a Cray model T3D supercomputer. This is a curious choice, for as our report notes, general-purpose supercomputers of this type make poor (and uneconomical) key search engines.
A tiny nit to pick here. The Cray T3D and T3E computers are massively parallel machines consisting of DEC Alpha chips hooked up in a 3D Torus configuration. They would probably make pretty decent key search engines, as opposed to the general purpose vector supercomputers Cray is better known for.
Table 3 are out estimates based on our experience with a Cray T3D supercomputer with 1024 nodes. This machine costs $30 million.
[Tables 1, 2, and 3 not transcribed here.]
You left out the most interesting part! -- Mike Duvos $ PGP 2.6 Public Key available $ mpd@netcom.com $ via Finger. $