AMD Fuels El Capitan: A Look at the Next-Gen Supercomputing Landscape

AMD’s Supercomputing Triumph at SC24

Today, AMD is making waves at Supercomputing 2024, proudly announcing its continued dominance in the realm of high-performance computing (HPC). The spotlight is on the El Capitan supercomputer, now officially recognized as the fastest supercomputer on the planet for the sixth consecutive time in the Top 500 list. Nestled within the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), El Capitan runs on AMD Instinct MI300A APUs and was brought to life by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). With a jaw-dropping High-Performance Linpack (HPL) score of 1.742 exaflops, it’s hard not to be impressed.

But that’s not all! El Capitan and its sibling, the Frontier system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have also secured spots at numbers 18 and 22 on the Green 500 list. This is a testament to the remarkable capabilities of AMD’s EPYC processors and Instinct GPUs, which are driving both performance and energy efficiency in the demanding world of HPC workloads.

A Word from AMD’s Leadership

Forrest Norrod, AMD’s executive vice president and general manager, expressed his excitement about this milestone. “We are thrilled to see El Capitan become the second AMD-powered supercomputer to break the exaflop barrier,” he said. This achievement highlights the incredible performance and efficiency of the AMD Instinct MI300 APUs. It’s not just a machine; it’s a collaboration between AMD, LLNL, and HPE that showcases what’s possible when innovation meets dedication.

Rob Neely, director of LLNL’s Advanced Simulation and Computing program, emphasized the significance of El Capitan for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) mission. “It significantly bolsters our ability to perform large ensembles of high-fidelity 3D simulations that address intricate scientific challenges,” he noted.

Bronis R. de Supinski, LLNL’s chief technology officer for Livermore Computing, added that leveraging the AMD Instinct MI300A APUs has allowed them to create a system that pushes the boundaries of computational performance while maintaining exceptional energy efficiency. With AI becoming increasingly critical in their field, El Capitan is set to integrate AI with traditional simulation and modeling, paving the way for new discoveries across various scientific domains.

AMD’s Role in the HPC and AI Landscape

AMD continues to be a powerhouse in the HPC and AI sectors, providing compute engines that drive some of the most significant supercomputers worldwide. The latest AMD EPYC 9005 Series processors are touted as the best server CPUs available, offering up to 37% better generational IPC performance for HPC and AI workloads. Imagine cutting down the time it takes to gain insights by up to 3.9 times compared to competitors—this is the kind of leap forward AMD is delivering for science and technical computing.

The AMD Instinct accelerators are also making waves, offering top-tier performance for data centers of all sizes. From AI solutions to Exascale-class supercomputers, these accelerators, including the MI300X and MI325X, are paving the way for enhanced AI performance and memory capabilities. The MI300A APU stands out by combining CPU and GPU cores with stacked memory in one package, ushering in a new era of efficiency and performance for HPC and AI workloads.

Exciting Collaborations and Deployments

AMD’s influence doesn’t stop at El Capitan. Several exciting projects are in the pipeline, showcasing the versatility of AMD technology. For instance, Eni, the Italian energy company, recently launched the HPC 6 supercomputer, now the fifth-fastest in the world, powered by AMD EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs.

Meanwhile, the University of Paderborn is gearing up to install a new supercomputer featuring the latest 5th Gen AMD EPYC CPUs, and Sigma2 AS is set to replace two of its supercomputers in Norway with an HPE Cray Supercomputing EX system powered by the same CPUs. These developments signal a bright future for AMD in the supercomputing landscape.

Moreover, a collaboration between IBM and AMD is on the horizon, aiming to deploy AMD Instinct MI300X accelerators as a service on IBM Cloud. This partnership is expected to enhance performance and efficiency for generative AI models and high-performance computing applications, making waves across enterprise sectors.

Leading the Charge into the Exascale Era

As the only company powering multiple exascale supercomputers, AMD is at the forefront of pushing performance and energy efficiency in HPC installations globally. El Capitan, now the world’s most powerful supercomputer and the first exascale-class machine for the NNSA, stands as a critical resource for the NNSA Tri-Labs, which include LLNL, Los Alamos, and Sandia National Laboratories.

This state-of-the-art system is not just about speed; it’s about enabling scientific discovery and national security. El Capitan provides the computational power needed to ensure the safety and reliability of the nation’s nuclear deterrent without testing. It marks a significant leap in HPC, allowing unprecedented modeling and simulation capabilities essential for the NNSA’s Stockpile Stewardship Program.

And the journey doesn’t end there. El Capitan, along with its companion system Tuolumne, is also set to enhance AI and machine learning-assisted data analysis, pushing LLNL’s goals of creating fast, accurate scientific models capable of quantifying uncertainty in predictions.

In a nutshell, AMD, along with HPE, is not only powering El Capitan but also the first exascale supercomputer, Frontier, located at Oak Ridge National Lab. With a performance of 1.35 exaflops, Frontier is the second-fastest computer globally and continues to enable researchers to tackle complex scientific problems—from climate modeling to biomedical research.

Shaping the Future of Science and Technology

With immense computational power, both El Capitan and Frontier are set to make significant contributions across various research fields, including materials science, climate modeling, and AI model development. By empowering researchers and fueling the growth of AI models, AMD is helping shape the future of science and technology.

The commitment to providing high-performance computing resources is clear, and as we look ahead, it’s exciting to think about the discoveries that will emerge from these powerful systems. The future of scientific discovery and innovation is indeed bright, with AMD leading the charge.

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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Technology Explained

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APU: An APU, or Accelerated Processing Unit, is a type of processor that combines a CPU and a GPU on a single chip. This type of processor is becoming increasingly popular in the computer industry due to its ability to provide both computing and graphics processing power in a single package. APUs are used in a variety of applications, from gaming PCs to high-end workstations. They are also used in embedded systems, such as those found in smartphones and tablets. The combination of CPU and GPU on a single chip allows for more efficient power consumption and better performance than traditional CPUs. Additionally, APUs are often used in conjunction with other components, such as RAM and storage, to create powerful and efficient systems.

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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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