High Performance Computing at Sun
Paper: 470
Session: V (talk)
Speaker: Kreutz, Ralf, SUN, Berlin
Keywords: ?
"High Performance Computing at Sun"
Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and superior engineering enable Sun's
Ultra HPC systems to cost-effectively deliver the highest usable performance
for production environments.
Cost-effective, real-world performance with the flexibility demanded by
high-end technical applications.
Sun's Ultra HPC series combines the power and simplicity of the industry's
most extensible SMP with the expandability and þexibility to cluster SMP
nodes together.
Up to 64 UltraSPARC II processors in a single SMP node provide up to 32
gigaþops of peak performance. By grouping up to 16 nodes, we can deliver
half a teraþop of peak performance in a single compute complex. Plus the
software to extract that performance.
High-performance systems that meet your needs today, yet can be easily and
economically expanded tomorrow - that's Sun's commitment.
Technology that delivers real-world performance.
SMP provides the simplest programming and operations environment. No need
to deal with multiple address spaces or data locality to extract
performance. Sun's SMP servers deliver the lowest sustained
memory-to-processor latency, crucial to achieving maximum performance in a
parallel-processing environment. Yet, they can scale as high as 64
processors in a single node.
Innovative technology makes Sun's HPC systems the most powerful SMP servers
available today. In the midrange, the Gigaplane system interconnect
delivers low latencies of 200 to 300 nanoseconds and bandwidth of 2.6
gigabytes per second. Our top-of-the-line Ultra HPC 10000 server utilizes
the Gigaplane XB, a crossbar-switched interconnect that delivers overall
system bandwidth of 12.8 gigabytes per second - while sustaining latencies
of just 400 to 600 nanoseconds - making it the fastest interconnect in its
class.
Our HPC clusters use a high-performance private internode communication
mechanism, the Sun Cluster Channel, based on the industry-standard
Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI). A cost-effective interconnect, it offers
point-to-point bandwidth of 200 megabytes per second. Multiple channels can
be implemented to provide parallel paths and incremental bandwidth.
To extract maximum performance, you need the right software and tools. All
Sun systems are built on Solaris, the world's number one UNIX operating
environment. This multithreaded system software offers extremely efÞcient
multiprocessing.
For software development we offer high-performance compilers, optimized
libraries, and debuggers, as well as a threads analyzer, data visualizer,
and performance proÞler. Parallel programming APIs for both PVM and MPI
message-based applications are also available.
Optimum resource sharing and load balancing are supported by a powerful
suite of management and administration tools for distributed interactive
and batch job queuing, workload monitoring and accounting, fair-share job
scheduling, and transparent load balancing.
Sun's HPC systems are very reliable, available, and manageable, ideal for
production environments. To ensure your systems remain operational, we
include innovative features such as dynamic reconÞguration, hot swap, auto
rebooting, remote system administration, failure prediction, and
performance monitoring.
Powerful system administration tools, combined with the backing of
SunService, help lower your workload and the cost of system support.
Flexibility to fit your unique environment.
Ideally, internode latencies are avoided by running individual applications
within the bounds of a single node. Sun's "fat" SMP nodes, which contain up
to 64 processors, do just that. At the same time, by clustering individual
nodes together, you can scale up to handle overall workloads, enhancing
resiliency. And we can cluster as many as 16 nodes together, combining the
power of up to 1024 processors.
As the ultimate in þexibility, we can even create clusters within a single
node. The Ultra HPC 10000 is the only UNIX system to provide Dynamic System
Domains. These conÞgure your system into multiple partitions, each running
independent copies of Solaris at the same time. And it does this while your
other applications are running.
Cost-effective servers that grow with you.
By leveraging Sun's clever system design - which uses many of the same
parts across our entire product line - we can purchase huge numbers of
components at a very low cost. These economies of scale lower manufacturing
costs, producing outstanding technology and performance at an economical
price.
All Sun systems are binary compatible from desktop to supercomputer. This
protects your investment as your system grows, and allows you to run more
off-the-shelf applications than any other UNIX system - 12,000 and growing
- without modifcation.
A firm commitment to the HPC market.
At Sun, we're building an HPC organization and family of products that are
second to none. That's why we acquired key technologies and attracted
people from Cray Research and Thinking Machines Corporation, pioneers in
the HPC world. We've also established strategic alliances with key HPC
technology providers, including Platform Computing Corporation, Dolphin
Interconnect Solutions, and SunSoft. And we're evolving new products that
will see you well into the next century.
Our vision is clear: Sun delivers real-world performance and þexibility to
cost-effectively meet the needs of your unique environment today. And
tomorrow.
High-end servers you can't outgrow. Choose from a wide range of
conÞgurations, starting with our two-CPU Ultra HPC 2 server and extending
all the way to the 64-CPU, supercomputer-class Ultra HPC 10000 system. Up
to 64 gigabytes of memory, 20 terabytes of on-line disk storage, and 64
SBus slots.
All Ultra HPC servers ship with the following:
System Software Solaris 2.5.1 or later
(Solaris 2.5 or later on Ultra 2)
Resource Management Load Sharing Facility (LSF)
Message Passing Libraries MPI and PVM
Other software available includes:
High-performance compilers
Performance libraries
Parallel programming debuggers
Data visualizer
Sun open systems span desktops, enterprise servers, and
platform-independent network computers.
Specifications are subject to change without notice. © 1997 Sun
Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun
logo, Sun Microsystems Computer Company, The Network Is the Computer,
Ultra, HPC, Solaris, SunService, Cluster Channel, and Gigaplane are
trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Sun Microsystems,
Inc., in the United States and other countries. All SPARC trademarks are
used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC
International, Inc., in the United States and other countries. Products
bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun
Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and
other countries, exclusively licensed through X/Open Company, Ltd.