The first implementation of ECL in June 2000 translated the input ECL into a variant of SQL, to run on a (now retired) in-memory query engine known as hOle. Later in 2000 a second implementation of an ECL execution engine was created (known as Thor), which ran on a cluster of Windows 2000 servers, and the ECL compiler was extended to generate C++ code, which was then compiled using MSVC to create executable DLLs that the execution engine would load and run. In 2002 the engines were ported to Linux and the ECL compiler extended to support generation of Gnu g++ code. A third execution engine, designed for rapid repeated execution of similar queries (known as Roxie) was also developed around this time, using the same ECL compiler, language, and generated DLL technology.
LexisNexis, and its partners, were chosen for a [[DARPA]] project to create a prototype of a new kind of data-centric supercomputer. DARPA is the research and development office for the [[U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)]]. DARPA’s mission is to maintain technological superiority of the U.S. military and prevent technological surprise from harming our [[national security]].<ref>[http://www.darpa.mil/about.html [[DARPA]].]</ref>
DARPA has created a Ubiquitous High Performance Computing (UHPC) program to provide the revolutionary technology needed to meet the steadily increasing demands of DoD applications – from embedded to command center and expandable to high performance computing systems.<ref>[http://www.er.doe.gov/ascr/Research/CS/UHPC%20DARPA-SN-09-46_RFI.pdfl [[DARPA High Performance Computing]].]</ref>
Earlier, [[Sandia National Labs]] and LexisNexis were chosen by DARPA as one of four teams to design a new kind of data-centric supercomputer prototype.<ref>[https://share.sandia.gov/news/resources/news_releases/supercomputer-prototype/ttp://insidehpc.com/2010/08/19/uhpc-the-sandia-team/ Sandia National Labs and [High Performance Computing]].]</ref>
