Die "Supercomputer" scheinen wirklich zu laufen. Hier auch ein Artikel dazu in Bezug auf SGI.
SGI to unveil new supercomputer
By Michael Kanellos
Staff Writer
November 10, 2002, 9:00 PM PT
A new supercomputer from SGI packs far more computing power per square inch than do
competing machines, a breakthrough the company hopes will help it flourish in what it sees as a
renaissance in supercomputing.
The Origin 3900, which SGI will unveil Monday and also show off at the Supercomputing 2002 trade show
beginning Nov. 18 in Baltimore, can hold up to 128 processors and fit into a single rack, said Addison Snell,
product marketing manager for high performance computing at SGI. Current Origin computers can hold only
32 processors in a rack.
"The Origin 3900 effectively quadruples the maximum compute density," he said. "It has the density of a blade
(server) but the architecture of a supercomputer."
Floor space in computing rooms is valuable, so
reducing the size of computers saves money and
expands the places where these systems can be
installed. Versions of the Origin 3900, for example,
could be fit onto an oil exploration ship or a plane.
The density of the Origin 3900 is largely
accomplished through the low-energy characteristics
of the company's MIPS processor, which consumes
about 17 watts, about the same as a notebook chip.
Additionally, density increases performance by
reducing the distance that signals have to travel
between the processors, memory and other
subsystems. The subsets of most large
supercomputers are linked through cables. Because
signals can't be accelerated, the best improvement lies in pushing the machines closer together.
SGI, a much beleaguered company, is hoping that these architectural changes will help it latch onto the recent
increase in activity in scientific computing. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and other events have
breathed new life into the market, prompting companies such as IBM and SGI to enhance their products and
service offerings.
"Clearly there are some areas of the scientific and technical computing market that are picking up," said Jean
Bozman, a research vice president at market research firm IDC.
One of the more active areas is that of the life sciences. Despite the economic downturn, biotech companies
are continuing to invest in computing capabilities, according to executives, because of the nature of their
businesses and because of promising opportunities. Also, said one server executive, "They have money."
In September, for instance, IBM formed an alliance with life sciences giant Applera to design systems and
services for pharmaceutical research companies.
Military and defense contracting have also increased since September 2001, Snell said. The bulk of the
budget increases, which are classified, comes from the effort to create a Department of Homeland Security.
Concern about U.S. national defense is also a contributing factor. The computing power of NEC's Earth
Simulator sent shock waves through the U.S. government because it marked the first time that Japan had a
substantial lead over the United States.
"To the U.S. government, this was a Sputnik-class event," Snell said.
Large companies are also examining larger systems for testing and simulation. Procter & Gamble, for
example, uses an SGI system to study the aerodynamics of Pringle's potato chips, Snell said. The chips move
along a conveyor belt so fast that they actually take flight. Through aerodynamic modeling, the company can
change the shape of the chips and speed up manufacturing. P&G also uses the system to study fluid dynamics
in disposable diapers.
In the next few months, SGI will come out with its first Itanium 2 computers. These systems will hold 32
processors per rack and will run the Linux operating system.
The base configuration of the Origin 3900 includes four processors and 512MB of memory. A beefed-up
system with 128 processors and 64GB of memory sells for $2.9 million.
Apropos Silicon Graphics - langsam könnte man vielleicht wieder einsteigen. Nachdem sie ja gnadenlos gehyped wurden kam der verdiente Absturz bei den Quartalszahlen. Jetzt interessiert sich keiner mehr für sie, obwohl es wieder gute Meldungen gibt:
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