CSC 456 Spring 2012/11b AB

Large-Scale Multiprocessors

Manufacturers

In order to build a large-scale multiprocessor (LSM), you will need to choose the right processors, as well as the most appropriate cabinet(s) to place them in. There are several different manufacturers of processors and cabinets that can be used in LSM configurations. For example, Fujitsu's K computer (the number one ranked supercomputer on TOP500's November 2011 list) uses a configuration of 88,128 SPARC64 VIIIfx processors. This means it has a total of 705,024 cores at its use<ref name="k computer"/>. Additional examples of processors used in LSMs can be found in Table 1.

Table 1: Processor Manufacturers

Manufacturer	Processor	Cores	Clock Rate	Architecture
Fujitsu	SPARC64 VIIIfx<ref name="fujitsu proc"/>	8	2.0 GHz	SPARC
Intel	Xeon 7500<ref name="intel proc"/>	8	1.733-2.667 GHz	Nehalem
IBM	POWER7<ref name="ibm proc"/>	8	2.4-4.25 GHz	Power ISA v.2.06
AMD	Opteron 6100<ref name="amd proc"/>	12	1.7-2.4 GHz	Direct Connect 2.0

Like processors, different manufacturers offer varying cabinet/server types, such as IBM's BladeCenter HT. This particular model uses their CoolBlue technology, a set of tools that allows the user to have greater control over cooling and power use. There are also some standard cabinet frames, such as 19-inch racks, which get their name from the 19-inch panels used in their design. Typically, these racks allow for easy processor/server installation and removal. <ref name="19 inch rack"/>

Table 2: Cabinet Manufacturers

Manufacturer	Cabinet	Blade Count
SuperMicro	MP Superserver 8064B-TRLF<ref name="supermicro chassis"/>	4
HP	Integrity Superdome 2<ref name="hp chassis"/>	32
IBM	BladeCenter HT<ref name="ibm chassis"/>	12

Coherence

For LSMs that use a Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) architecture, cache coherence is an important issue. In 1990, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that it was possible to build to build a coherent LSM using a directory-based approach with the Alewife multiprocessor <ref name="alewife"/>.

On the other hand, some LSMs use distributed memory systems, meaning that each of the processors has its own private memory, making cache coherency a non-issue. Fujitsu's K computer is an example of such a system <ref name="K computer"/>.

References

<references> <ref name="fujitsu proc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARC64_VIIIfx</ref> <ref name="intel proc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeon#6500.2F7500-series_.22Beckton.22</ref> <ref name="ibm proc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power7</ref> <ref name="amd proc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opteron#Opteron_.2845_nm_SOI.29</ref> <ref name="supermicro chassis">http://www.supermicro.com/products/system/4U/8046/SYS-8046B-TRLF.cfm</ref> <ref name="hp chassis">http://h20341.www2.hp.com/integrity/us/en/high-end/integrity-high-end-servers-superdome2.html</ref> <ref name="ibm chassis">http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/bladecenter/hardware/chassis/bladeht/index.html</ref> <ref name="k computer">http://top500.org/lists/2011/11/press-release</ref> <ref name="19 inch rack">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19-inch_rack</ref> </references>