Argonne introduces Aurora: New Intel Exascale Supercomputer Opens Doors for Researchers

Welcome to the Future of Computing

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has just taken a giant leap forward in the world of computing. Meet

Aurora

, the new exascale supercomputer that’s now available to researchers around the globe. This isn’t just another piece of tech; it’s a game-changer that promises to turbocharge discoveries in fields as diverse as airplane design, cosmology, drug discovery, and even nuclear energy research.

“We’re ecstatic to officially deploy Aurora for open scientific research,” said Michael Papka, the director of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF). Early users have already caught a glimpse of what Aurora can do, and the excitement is palpable. Just imagine the possibilities as the broader scientific community taps into this powerhouse to transform their research!

Exascale and AI: A New Dawn for Science

So, what exactly makes Aurora special? For starters, it’s one of the world’s first

exascale supercomputers

, joining the ranks of Frontier and El Capitan. In simple terms, exascale means this machine can perform at least one exaflop—yes, that’s a quintillion calculations per second! To put that into perspective, that’s like solving a billion complex math problems in the blink of an eye.

Aurora isn’t just fast; it’s also a heavyweight champion in

AI performance

, having snagged the top spot on the HPL-MxP benchmark. Scientists are already using its advanced capabilities to discover new battery materials, design innovative drugs, and even expedite fusion energy research. Before it even hit the ground running, an Argonne-led team showcased its potential by training AI models for a protein design framework.

“A big target for Aurora is training large language models for science,” explained Rick Stevens, Argonne’s associate laboratory director for Computing, Environment, and Life Sciences. With initiatives like the AuroraGPT project, researchers are crafting a science-oriented foundation model that can distill knowledge across various domains—from biology to chemistry. Imagine having an AI that helps you think faster than you can compute!

Pushing Boundaries in Research

The projects already launched on Aurora are nothing short of ambitious. Researchers are diving deep into high-fidelity models of complex systems, including the human circulatory system, nuclear reactors, and even supernovae. These models are set to unlock new insights into how these systems behave. Plus, with its ability to process massive datasets, Aurora is a vital tool for analyzing the ever-growing data streams from large-scale research facilities like Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source and CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.

“The projects running on Aurora represent some of the most ambitious and innovative science happening today,” shared Katherine Riley, ALCF director of science. From modeling intricate physical systems to handling vast amounts of data, Aurora is poised to accelerate discoveries that deepen our understanding of the universe.

A Collaborative Triumph

The launch of Aurora is the result of years of hard work and collaboration. Built in partnership with

Intel

and

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

, this supercomputer features a staggering 63,744 GPUs and 84,992 network endpoints. To visualize this, picture eight rows of refrigerator-sized cabinets, weighing in at 600 tons and sprawling across 10,000 square feet—roughly the size of two professional basketball courts! All of this is interconnected by 300 miles of networking cables.

“Bringing a system of this scale to life comes with a unique set of challenges,” noted Susan Coghlan, ALCF project director for Aurora. The team navigated entirely new technologies at an unprecedented scale, and now, seeing the machine fully operational is a testament to their expertise and dedication.

To ensure Aurora was ready for action from day one, the team employed a collaborative approach known as co-design. This meant that hardware and scientific software were developed side by side to optimize performance and usability. It took years of teamwork among ALCF, Intel, HPE, and researchers participating in the DOE’s Exascale Computing Project and the ALCF’s Aurora Early Science Program.

While Aurora was being set up, teams were already running applications to stress-test the hardware and fine-tune their codes for maximum efficiency. This preparation resulted in a suite of scientific applications and programming tools ready to hit the ground running as soon as Aurora launched.

“Part of the process of bringing a new supercomputer online involves putting it through its paces with real codes running real science problems,” explained Kalyan Kumaran, ALCF director of technology. This hands-on approach is crucial for achieving the goal of enabling science right from day one.

Now that Aurora is officially in production, it’s supporting over 70 diverse science and engineering projects. This includes initiatives from the Early Science Program and those awarded computing time through the DOE’s Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) and the ASCR Leadership Computing Challenge (ALCC). The ALCF is also welcoming allocation requests from researchers tackling computationally intensive challenges.

The Road Ahead

As we look ahead, the impact of Aurora on scientific research is bound to be profound. With its unmatched speed and capabilities, it’s not just about crunching numbers; it’s about enabling researchers to push the boundaries of what we know. The future of science is here, and it’s powered by Aurora. Are you ready to see what discoveries await us?

Background Information

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