Cray and Intel (News - Alert) have signed a multi-year agreement to work on supercomputing technology. The two have also won a contract to build two supercomputers for the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.
The vendors’ collaboration is meant to develop high-performance computing (HPC) systems that will help solve some of the world's most complex scientific, engineering and humanitarian challenges. The idea is to incorporate advanced HPC on Intel microprocessors, while delivering broad new Intel and Cray technologies in future Cray server systems.
“We're excited at the potential of bringing together Intel's powerful silicon expertise and Cray's industry leadership in scalable HPC systems,” said Peter Ungaro, president and CEO of Cray. “We pride ourselves in offering the most innovative supercomputing systems and our customers will now enjoy greater choice in processor technologies.
He added, “This collaboration provides the HPC market segment with access to the best microprocessors the industry has to offer at any point in time, in the most advanced supercomputers in the world. This further strengthens Cray's industry-leading adaptive supercomputing vision as we move into the Cascade timeframe and beyond.”
The two computers are code-named Theta, due in 2016, and Aurora, expected in 2018. Theta will deliver 8.5 petaflops of compute performance and consume 1.7 megawatts of power. Aurora meanwhile will deliver 180 petaflops of compute power, which is 18 times more computing power than the IBM (News - Alert) Blue Gene/Q-based Mira supercomputer in use at the Argonne National Laboratory.
“Cray's commitment to Intel is a testament of our commitment to HPC and the strength of our hardware and software roadmap and many-core research,” said Patrick Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group. “Throughout Cray's history, it has been an innovator in high-end HPC while Intel has pushed the boundaries of processor technology.”
Edited by Dominick Sorrentino