INDUSTRY

NEC High Performance Computing Europe (HPCE) and ClusterVision have completed the installation of Belgium's most powerful computer. The Linux supercomputer cluster was purchased by Cenaero, a Belgium aerospace research centre specialising in multi-disciplinary engineering simulations for the aerospace industry. The 176 processor cluster will enhance Cenaero's capabilities to perform large and complex calculations. In particular, Cenaero's parallel artificial intelligence system will be run on the cluster to explore innovative designs for airframe and aero-engines parts. This system is based on novel genetic algorithms and neural networks and can be connected to any simulation system and geometry modeller. Cenaero runs its own massively parallel CFD solver on the new cluster. This program simulates large-scale unsteady turbulent flows around complex geometries such as high lift devices or landing gears in order to accurately predict the generated noise. This allows designers to invent new systems reducing airframe noise. The new computer cluster comprises 85 compute servers and three redundant control and storage servers. The servers are configured such that if one server fails, another takes over. In total, the cluster comprises 176 Intel® Xeon™ processors (3.06 GHz / 1MB Cache), 176 Gigabytes of memory, and 15 Terabytes of disk space. All servers are interconnected by a Myrinet network. Myrinet networks have much higher bandwidth and much lower latency than standard Gigabit Ethernet. The Myrinet network will not only be used by the compute servers to exchange data, but it will also be used by the storage servers to serve data over NFS to the compute servers. The computer cluster has a theoretical peak performance of more than 1 Teraflop (1 billion floating point operations) per second. On today's Top500 list of most powerful computers in the world (www.top500.org), the cluster would feature in the top half, which is higher than any other Top500-listed supercomputer in Belgium. The cluster was designed and installed by ClusterVision and runs the ClusterVisionOS™ operating system and software environment. The cluster servers and cabinets were assembled at the production facility of ClusterVision's integration partner, ECL Computers. ClusterVision will provide onsite support for the cluster. Dr Michel Delanaye, general manager of Cenaero, says: "According to the Top500 list, this new machine is the most powerful computer in Belgium, offering Cenaero's researchers and our academic and industrial partners great capabilities to solve extreme engineering problems. Joined funding from the Walloon region and European structural fund FEDER has made this investment possible. ClusterVision has proven to be a very competent and robust partner and we are looking forward to establishing a strong partnership for the future." "Myricom is very pleased that Myrinet® has been selected as the interconnect for the large production cluster at Cenaero," said David Pegan, VP Sales of Myricom. "Using the Myrinet as a unified compute and storage network will leverage its high-performance and high-availability properties for all applications of this important production cluster." Tom Garrison, Director of Intel's Enterprise Marketing Group, EMEA, said: "We are delighted to see Cenaero's investment in this exciting project. By combining high scalability with excellent price/performance, Intel is spurring discoveries and innovation through HPC initiatives. Today, Intel® Itanium® 2 and Intel® Xeon™ processors are powering some of the fastest supercomputers in the world, enabling to widen the boundaries of research for both academic and industrial sectors."