El Capitan Tops TOP500 Rankings, with Frontier and Aurora Close Behind

El Capitan Takes the Crown

In the latest edition of the TOP500 list, the spotlight shines brightly on El Capitan, which has officially claimed the title of the most powerful supercomputer in the world. This marks a significant milestone as El Capitan becomes the third system ever to achieve exascale computing, following in the footsteps of Frontier and Aurora, which now sit at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. The competition is fierce, and it’s exciting to see new systems making their mark in the Top 10!

What Makes El Capitan So Powerful?

So, what’s the secret sauce behind El Capitan’s impressive performance? This powerhouse, located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, has achieved a staggering HPL score of 1.742 EFlop/s. That’s right—over a quintillion calculations per second! With a jaw-dropping total of 11,039,616 combined CPU and GPU cores, El Capitan is built on AMD’s 4th generation EPYC processors, rocking 24 cores at 1.8 GHz, paired with AMD Instinct MI300A accelerators. Plus, it utilizes the Cray Slingshot 11 network for seamless data transfer, which is crucial for such high-performance tasks. And let’s not forget its energy efficiency rating of 58.89 GigaFLOPS/watt, which also earned it a respectable No. 18 spot on the GREEN500 list.

Frontier and Aurora: Still in the Game

Moving down the ranks, we have the Frontier system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, which now occupies the No. 2 position. Frontier has upped its game, increasing its HPL score from 1.206 EFlop/s to 1.353 EFlop/s. This system boasts 9,066,176 cores and also relies on the Cray Slingshot 11 network for data transfer. It’s impressive to see how these machines continue to evolve!

Then there’s Aurora, nestled at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility in Illinois. Aurora has maintained its HPL benchmark score at 1.012 EFlop/s, showcasing the reliability of its Intel-based architecture. This system is powered by Intel Xeon CPU Max Series processors and Intel Data Center GPU Max Series accelerators, making it a formidable contender in the supercomputing arena.

Cloud Power: Meet Eagle

Rounding out the top five is the Eagle system, installed on Microsoft Azure. This cloud-based powerhouse has secured the No. 4 spot with an HPL score of 561.2 PFlop/s, proving that the cloud can hold its own in the supercomputing landscape. Following closely is the HPC6 system at Eni S.p.A in Italy, which has made its debut at No. 5 with an impressive 477.90 PFlop/s.

A Glimpse at the Top 10

Here’s a quick rundown of the top systems:

1.

El Capitan

– 1.742 EFlop/s (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA)
2.

Frontier

– 1.353 EFlop/s (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA)
3.

Aurora

– 1.012 EFlop/s (Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, USA)
4.

Eagle

– 561.2 PFlop/s (Microsoft Azure, USA)
5.

HPC6

– 477.90 PFlop/s (Eni S.p.A, Italy)
6.

Fugaku

– 442 PFlop/s (RIKEN Center, Japan)
7.

Alps

– 434.9 PFlop/s (Swiss National Supercomputing Centre, Switzerland)
8.

LUMI

– 380 PFlop/s (CSC, Finland)
9.

Leonardo

– 241.2 PFlop/s (CINECA, Italy)
10.

Tuolumne

– 208.1 PFlop/s (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA)

The Processor Showdown

In this edition of the TOP500, it’s clear that AMD and Intel are the go-to choices for the top-performing systems. Five of the top 10 systems are powered by AMD, while three utilize Intel processors. It’s fascinating to see how different architectures can lead to such varied performance metrics.

A Shift in Global Supercomputing Power

When it comes to global representation, the United States continues to dominate the TOP500 list with 173 systems, while China has seen a decline, dropping from 80 to 63 entries. It’s interesting to note that Germany is quickly catching up, now boasting 41 systems on the list. Europe has overtaken Asia in total entries, with North America leading the pack.

The GREEN500 and Energy Efficiency

Switching gears to the GREEN500, the latest edition showcases some exciting developments in energy efficiency. The top spot is once again claimed by JEDI, a system from EuroHPC in Germany, demonstrating impressive energy efficiency with an HPL score of 4.5 PFlop/s and 72.73 GFlops/Watt. The competition for energy-efficient supercomputing is heating up, and it’s inspiring to see systems like El Capitan and Frontier making strides in this area as well.

HPCG and HPL-MxP Results

As we dive deeper, the TOP500 has also incorporated the High-Performance Conjugate Gradient (HPCG) benchmark results, offering a more comprehensive view of supercomputer performance. Fugaku continues to lead this benchmark, while Aurora and Frontier follow closely behind.

In the HPL-MxP category, which focuses on mixed precision computations, Aurora has taken the lead with a score of 11.6 EFlop/s, showcasing the potential of modern computing techniques.

The Future of Supercomputing

With each iteration of the TOP500 list, we get a clearer picture of where the world of supercomputing is heading. The race for performance, energy efficiency, and innovation is more competitive than ever. As we celebrate the achievements of systems like El Capitan, we can only wonder: what will the next generation of supercomputers bring?

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 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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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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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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