Frontier Retains Dominance as Aurora Claims Second Place in Exascale Computing

The latest edition of the TOP500 list, the 63rd edition to be exact, has brought some exciting developments in the world of supercomputing. While Frontier continues to dominate as the most powerful system, there are notable new additions and changes within the top rankings.

Frontier, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, USA, remains at the top of the list with an impressive HPL score of 1.206 EFlop/s. This HPE Cray EX system boasts a combination of 3rd Gen AMD EPYC CPUs optimized for high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI), along with AMD Instinct MI250X accelerators. It also relies on Cray’s Slingshot 11 network for efficient data transfer. Notably, Frontier also stands out for its exceptional power efficiency rating of 52.93 GFlops/Watt, securing its position at No. 13 on the GREEN500.

Aurora, located at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility in Illinois, USA, takes the No. 2 spot on the TOP500. Although still under commissioning and not fully complete, Aurora has officially broken the exascale barrier with an HPL score of 1.012 EFlop/s. This Intel-based system utilizes HPE Cray EX-Intel Exascale Computer Blade, Intel Xeon CPU Max series processors, Intel Data Center GPU Max Series accelerators, and a Slingshot-11 interconnect.

The Eagle system, hosted on the Microsoft Azure Cloud in the USA, maintains its position as the highest-ranking cloud system on the TOP500 at No. 3. With an HPL score of 561.2 PFlop/s, this Microsoft NDv5 system relies on Intel Xeon Platinum 8480C processors and nVidia H100 accelerators.

Fugaku, located in Kobe, Japan, holds onto its No. 4 spot despite previously claiming the No. 1 position from June 2020 to November 2021. Fugaku achieves an HPL score of 442 PFlop/s and remains the highest-ranked system outside the USA.

The LUMI system at EuroHPC/CSC in Finland maintains its position at No. 5 with an HPL score of 380 PFlop/s. As the largest system in Europe, LUMI plays a significant role in the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking’s efforts to develop top-of-the-range Exascale supercomputers for big data processing.

One notable addition to the Top 10 is the Alps machine at No. 6, located at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) in Switzerland. This system achieved an HPL score of 270 PFlop/s and is an HPE Cray EX254n system with NVIDIA Grace 72C and NVIDIA GH200 Superchip, along with a Slingshot-11 interconnect.

To summarize the Top 10 systems:

1. Frontier – Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA
2. Aurora – Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, USA
3. Eagle – Microsoft Azure Cloud, USA
4. Fugaku – RIKEN Center for Computational Science, Japan
5. LUMI – EuroHPC/CSC, Finland
6. Alps – Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), Switzerland
7. Leonardo – CINECA, Italy
8. MareNostrum 5 ACC – EuroHPC/Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain
9. Summit – Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA
10. Eos – NVIDIA, USA

In terms of processor preferences, Intel, AMD, and IBM dominate the top-ranking systems. Intel Xeon processors are used in five of the Top 10 systems, while AMD processors power two systems, and IBM processors are utilized in one system. Fugaku stands out as the only system using the A64FX processor. The Alps machine introduces an NVIDIA Grace 72C processor, a notable development in processor usage.

In terms of representation, the United States and China continue to dominate the list. The United States added seven new systems, bringing its total to 168, while China’s representation decreased from 104 to 80 systems. However, in terms of continent representation, North America increased its presence with 171 systems, Asia decreased to 148 systems, and Europe surpassed Asia with 160 systems.

Moving on to the GREEN500 list, which focuses on energy efficiency, there have been significant changes in the top rankings. JEDI – JUPITER Exascale Development Instrument, a new system from EuroHPC/FZJ in Germany, claims the No. 1 spot with an impressive energy efficiency rating of 72.73 GFlops/Watt. Isambard-AI from the University of Bristol in the U.K. secures the No. 2 spot, followed by the Helios system from Cyfronet in Poland at No. 3. Notably, Frontier deserves an honorable mention for its energy efficiency rating of 56.97 GFlops/Watt, placing it at No. 11 on the GREEN500.

The TOP500 list now incorporates the High-Performance Conjugate Gradient (HPCG) benchmark results, which provide an alternative metric for assessing supercomputer performance. Fugaku leads the HPCG benchmark with an impressive score of 16 HPCG-PFlop/s, followed by Frontier at 14.1 HPCG-PFlop/s and Aurora at 5.6 HPCG-PFlop/s.

Lastly, the HPL-MxP benchmark highlights the use of mixed precision computations, showcasing higher performance through mixed precision techniques. Aurora claims the top spot in the HPL-MxP category with 10.6 EFlop/s, followed by Frontier at 10.2 EFlop/s and LUMI at 2.35 EFlop/s.

Overall, the 63rd edition of the TOP500 list brings exciting developments in supercomputing, showcasing the power, efficiency, and advancements in various systems worldwide.

Background Information

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About AMD:

AMD, a large player in the semiconductor industry is known for its powerful processors and graphic solutions, AMD has consistently pushed the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and user experience. With a customer-centric approach, the company has cultivated a reputation for delivering high-performance solutions that cater to the needs of gamers, professionals, and general users. AMD's Ryzen series of processors have redefined the landscape of desktop and laptop computing, offering impressive multi-core performance and competitive pricing that has challenged the dominance of its competitors. Complementing its processor expertise, AMD's Radeon graphics cards have also earned accolades for their efficiency and exceptional graphical capabilities, making them a favored choice among gamers and content creators. The company's commitment to innovation and technology continues to shape the client computing landscape, providing users with powerful tools to fuel their digital endeavors.

  

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About IBM:

IBM, or International Business Machines Corporation, is a globally American multinational technology company with a storied history dating back to its founding in 1911. Over the decades, IBM has consistently been at the forefront of innovation in the field of information technology. The company is known for its pioneering work in computer hardware, software, and services, with breakthroughs like the IBM System/360 and the invention of the relational database.

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About Intel:

Intel Corporation, a global technology leader, is for its semiconductor innovations that power computing and communication devices worldwide. As a pioneer in microprocessor technology, Intel has left an indelible mark on the evolution of computing with its processors that drive everything from PCs to data centers and beyond. With a history of advancements, Intel's relentless pursuit of innovation continues to shape the digital landscape, offering solutions that empower businesses and individuals to achieve new levels of productivity and connectivity.

  

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About Microsoft:

Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975 in Redmond, Washington, USA, is a technology giant known for its wide range of software products, including the Windows operating system, Office productivity suite, and cloud services like Azure. Microsoft also manufactures hardware, such as the Surface line of laptops and tablets, Xbox gaming consoles, and accessories.

  

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About nVidia:

NVIDIA has firmly established itself as a leader in the realm of client computing, continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation in graphics and AI technologies. With a deep commitment to enhancing user experiences, NVIDIA's client computing business focuses on delivering solutions that power everything from gaming and creative workloads to enterprise applications. for its GeForce graphics cards, the company has redefined high-performance gaming, setting industry standards for realistic visuals, fluid frame rates, and immersive experiences. Complementing its gaming expertise, NVIDIA's Quadro and NVIDIA RTX graphics cards cater to professionals in design, content creation, and scientific fields, enabling real-time ray tracing and AI-driven workflows that elevate productivity and creativity to unprecedented heights. By seamlessly integrating graphics, AI, and software, NVIDIA continues to shape the landscape of client computing, fostering innovation and immersive interactions in a rapidly evolving digital world.

  

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Technology Explained

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CPU: The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of a computer, responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations. It is the most important component of a computer system, as it is responsible for controlling all other components. CPUs are used in a wide range of applications, from desktop computers to mobile devices, gaming consoles, and even supercomputers. CPUs are used to process data, execute instructions, and control the flow of information within a computer system. They are also used to control the input and output of data, as well as to store and retrieve data from memory. CPUs are essential for the functioning of any computer system, and their applications in the computer industry are vast.

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EPYC: EPYC is a technology designed by computer chip manufacturer AMD for use in the server and data center industry. It was introduced in June 2017 and features an innovative design to improve performance and power efficiency. EPYC processor technology is based on an innovative 14nm processor architecture, allowing up to 32 high-performance cores in a single socket. This allows for more efficient processing power, increased memory bandwidth, and greater compute density. EPYC is now widely used in the data center and cloud computing industry and provides benefits such as greater scalability, increased resource efficiency, and advanced virtualization capabilities. Additionally, EPYC technology is used in data intensive servers like server farms, gaming, and virtualization platforms. EPYC ensures that even with large deployments in multi-processor environments, power consumption and performance levels are optimized to ensure maximum efficiency.

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GPU: GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit and is a specialized type of processor designed to handle graphics-intensive tasks. It is used in the computer industry to render images, videos, and 3D graphics. GPUs are used in gaming consoles, PCs, and mobile devices to provide a smooth and immersive gaming experience. They are also used in the medical field to create 3D models of organs and tissues, and in the automotive industry to create virtual prototypes of cars. GPUs are also used in the field of artificial intelligence to process large amounts of data and create complex models. GPUs are becoming increasingly important in the computer industry as they are able to process large amounts of data quickly and efficiently.

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HPC: HPC, or High Performance Computing, is a type of technology that allows computers to perform complex calculations and process large amounts of data at incredibly high speeds. This is achieved through the use of specialized hardware and software, such as supercomputers and parallel processing techniques. In the computer industry, HPC has a wide range of applications, from weather forecasting and scientific research to financial modeling and artificial intelligence. It enables researchers and businesses to tackle complex problems and analyze vast amounts of data in a fraction of the time it would take with traditional computing methods. HPC has revolutionized the way we approach data analysis and has opened up new possibilities for innovation and discovery in various fields.

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Xeon: The Intel Xeon processor is a powerful and reliable processor used in many computer systems. It is a multi-core processor that is designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. It is used in servers, workstations, and high-end desktop computers. It is also used in many embedded systems, such as routers and switches. The Xeon processor is known for its high performance and scalability, making it a popular choice for many computer applications. It is also used in many cloud computing applications, as it is capable of handling large amounts of data and providing high levels of performance. The Xeon processor is also used in many scientific and engineering applications, as it is capable of handling complex calculations and simulations.

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