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What is a supercomputer? Principle of operation, application and advantages of renting

In today’s world, data processing speed and computing power are becoming key success factors in business and science. Supercomputers represent the pinnacle of technological advances in high-performance computing, allowing to solve problems that are beyond the reach of conventional computer systems.

According to analysts the global supercomputing market is growing rapidly and is expected to reach $97 billion over the next five years. This is due to the growing need for big data processing, the development of artificial intelligence, and the need for complex scientific calculations. However, the high cost of purchasing and maintaining such systems has long remained a major barrier for many organizations. Modern cloud solutions, such as renting an NVIDIA SuperPOD supercomputer from ITGLOBAL.COMITGLOBAL.COM, make these technologies available to a wider range of companies.

How do supercomputers work?

A supercomputer is not just a very powerful computer, but a complex system built on the principles of parallel computing. Unlike an ordinary computer that performs tasks sequentially, a supercomputer splits complex calculations into many small tasks and solves them simultaneously. Supercomputer is not just a very powerful computer, but a complex system built on the principles of parallel computing.

The key feature of modern supercomputers is their cluster architecture. HPC-cluster (High-Performance Computing) is a set of computing nodes connected by high-speed communication channels. Each node of such a cluster contains processors, memory and data storage systems working as a single organism.

In the case of NVIDIA SuperPOD, this architecture is based on Dell PowerEdge XE9680 servers specifically optimized for high-performance computing. Utilizing Intel Xeon Platinum processors provides a high performance foundation, while NVIDIA InfiniBand technology with up to 400Gbps bandwidth ensures minimal latency in data communication between nodes.

The Role of the GPU

A landmark achievement in supercomputing has been the use of graphics processing units (GPUs) for computing. Originally designed for graphics processing, GPUs have proven to be incredibly efficient for parallel computing due to their architecture.

The NVIDIA H100 used in SuperPOD is the latest generation of GPUs based on the Hopper architecture. Each gas pedal contains:

  • 456 tensor cores for AI operations;
  • 14592 CUDA cores for parallel computing;
  • 80GB of video memory for processing large amounts of data.

Compared to the previous generation (A100), the H100 delivers a 4.5x performance increase on artificial intelligence tasks, making it an ideal choice for today’s computing challenges.

What is a supercomputer for?

The applications of supercomputers cover a wide variety of areas where large amounts of data need to be processed or complex calculations need to be performed. Let’s consider the main ones:

  • Scientific research and modeling

In science, supercomputers are used to model complex physical processes, from weather forecasting to simulating nuclear reactions. For example, when modeling climate change, petabytes of data are processed, equivalent to millions of gigabytes collected from thousands of weather stations around the world.

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Training large language models and neural networks requires enormous computing power. NVIDIA SuperPOD and its architecture is particularly effective in this area, enabling models to be trained several times faster than traditional computing systems.

  • Medicine & Biotechnology

In medicine, supercomputers are used to analyze genomic data, develop new drugs, and model protein structures. One day of supercomputer work can replace years of laboratory research.

Examples of tasks solved by supercomputers

In the financial sectorsupercomputers enable sophisticated risk analysis and real-time forecasting of market trends. Banks and investment firms use these systems to process millions of transactions and identify potential threats, which is not possible with traditional computing systems. Supercomputers enable sophisticated risk analysis and real-time prediction of market trends.

In the field of materials science supercomputers make it possible to model material properties at the atomic level. This greatly accelerates the process of developing new materials, reducing the time from idea to practical application from several years to a few months. Supercomputers can simulate the properties of materials at the atomic level.

The entertainment industryalso makes extensive use of high-performance computing. When creating modern blockbusters, supercomputers render the most complex visual effects and scenes that require the simultaneous processing of large amounts of data. A process that once could take weeks to complete is now done in a matter of hours.

In logisticssupercomputers can calculate optimal routes for thousands of vehicles, taking into account multiple variables in real time. This allows companies to significantly reduce fuel costs and improve delivery efficiency. Supercomputers can calculate optimal routes for thousands of vehicles, taking into account multiple variables in real time.

NVIDIA SuperPOD-based supercomputer rental

History of supercomputers: from the first steps to modern systems

The history of supercomputers is inextricably linked to the development of technology and mankind’s constant desire to increase computing power. In the 1960s, the first specialized systems for scientific calculations appeared. They occupied entire rooms and had performance that today may seem ridiculous – just a few operations per second. However, it was these first steps that laid the foundation for modern computing systems.

The seventies were marked by a revolutionary breakthrough – the appearance of vector processors. This technology allowed to perform a single operation on several data elements at once, which significantly increased the speed of scientific calculations. Cray computers, which appeared during this period, became synonymous with high-performance computing.

In the eighties, the era of parallel computing began. Engineers realized that it is possible to increase the performance not only by increasing the clock frequency of processors, but also by simultaneous use of many computational nodes. This discovery determined the direction of supercomputer development for decades to come.

The 1990s brought the concept of cluster architectures, which remains relevant today. By combining many standard computers into a single system, the cost of supercomputers was significantly reduced, making them affordable to a wider range of organizations. The 1990s brought the concept of cluster architectures, which remains relevant today.

The real revolution was the introduction of graphics processing units (GPUs) for computing in the 2000s. Originally designed for graphics processing, these devices proved to be incredibly efficient for parallel computing. This discovery led to the emergence of hybrid systems combining traditional processors with GPUs.

Today we are in the era of exascale computing and specialized AI gas pedals. Modern supercomputers, such as NVIDIA SuperPOD, can perform quintillions of operations per second, allowing us to solve problems of unimaginable complexity.

Benefits of renting a supercomputer

Maintaining your own supercomputer is incredibly expensive: the purchase of equipment, its operation, including cooling and electricity, requires significant investments. For most companies, this is simply not feasible, especially if the supercomputer is needed only from time to time. Renting solves this problem: access to state-of-the-art technology is possible without large upfront costs. Instead of spending millions on infrastructure, companies can invest this money in the development of their core business. At the same time, paying for actual usage time allows to optimize costs, especially in case of variable workloads.

The technical flexibility of leasing manifests itself in the ability to quickly scale computing resources based on current needs. Organizations get access to the latest technological updates without the need to upgrade equipment themselves. Professional support in the 24/7 mode ensures uninterrupted operation of the system.

Forward Computing with NVIDIA SuperPOD

NVIDIA SuperPOD combines advanced high-performance computing technologies. It delivers up to 4.5x faster AI performance than the previous generation by utilizing the latest H100 GPUs. Up to 256 GPUs can be utilized simultaneously to solve the most complex computational problems.

Optimized SuperPOD architecture provides minimal latency in data exchange between nodes, which is critical for complex computing tasks. Located in the state-of-the-art Equinix AM2 data center in the Netherlands, it guarantees the highest level of reliability and service availability.

Summarize: partnering with ITGLOBAL.COM to solve your challenges

. ITGLOBAL.COM offers not just access to computing power, but a comprehensive solution for organizations seeking to take advantage of modern technologies. The company provides a full cycle of support: from initial consultation to workflow optimization.

The professional expertise of ITGLOBAL.COM specialists in configuring and optimizing supercomputer systems allows clients to make the most efficient use of available resources. Technical support works around the clock, guaranteeing a response time of no more than 15 minutes, which is critical for business processes that depend on computing power..

It’s easy to get started with NVIDIA SuperPOD. Just contact the experts at ITGLOBAL.COMfor an initial consultation. They will help you assess your needs, calculate the necessary resources and propose the optimal solution. The test period will allow you to evaluate the capabilities of the system in practice and make sure that it is effective for your tasks.

Investing in high-performance computing today is an investment in the future of your business. ITGLOBAL.COM will help you make this step as efficient and secure as possible.

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