APPLICATIONS

Appro's innovative HPC cluster and server solutions based on Intel's multi-core processor technology bring value and benefits to the HPC enterprise community. As powerful, yet low-cost computing technologies continue to be developed and broadly deployed at a rapid pace, enterprises that are engaged in highly computational, data-intensive tasks are adopting high-performance computing (HPC) faster than ever before. According to estimates from IT market research firm IDC, clustered HPC market penetration rose from 20% in 2003 to almost 50% by 2005, compared to non-clustered’s systems which dropped from 80% market penetration in 2003 to just over 50% in 2005. Looking ahead, IDC expects departmental and divisional growth in HPC to rise faster than any other technical computing market segment, at a predicted 13.9% CAGR from 2005 through 2008. Key Market Drivers Naturally, enterprise IT organizations are looking to enhance the performance of their HPC environments while streamlining their infrastructure. In this pursuit, IT managers are finding clustered solutions to be the best method by which to maximize their technology investments. Four key drivers are helping to fuel market growth in HPC clustered computing:

• multi-core server processing - a prime enabler of HPC, multi-core server processors enable enterprises to reap the benefits of significantly improved compute performance, power efficiency, and reliability in clustered environments
• faster Linux adoption - outpacing Windows adoption in x86 servers, Linux also affords the added benefit of accelerated upgrade cycles
• accelerated 64-bit adoption - roughly half of all server shipments in the first half of 2005 were bundled with 64-bit operating systems
• fast interconnect technologies - with multi-core processing, 16 cores could contend for a single interconnect, so fast interconnect technologies, such as InfiniBand,provide significant advantages for HPC due to their wide throughput capabilities.

HPC Focus: a Silver Bullet To help fill the growing need for reliable, cost-effective HPC cluster solutions, Appro International Inc., Milpitas, Calif., provides to the enterprise market with high-value, end-to-end HPC server and cluster offerings that are easily integrateable, growth-oriented, and scalable to meet the changing needs of today’s businesses. “HPC is all we focus on, as has been the case for all of the 15 years that we’ve been in business—we’re very good at it,” says John Lee, Vice President of Advanced Technology Solutions Group for Appro. By focusing exclusively on HPC, John Lee explains, “Appro is able to offer customers best-in-class engineering expertise, compelling price/performance that is squarely aligned with end-user need, and unparalleled integration services for cluster and grid computing environments.” “Appro has a breadth of HPC products with cluster solution integration where customers can build a consolidated and simplified infrastructure that is easy to implement,” says Earl Joseph, IDC Program Vice President. “As Appro continues to invest in HPC, its price/performance and innovative products along with integrated system management software could become its ‘silver bullet.’ ” In terms of product, Appro’s HyperBlade clusters and HyperServer series are highly scalable HPC solutions built for high-performance scientific and technical as well as commercial computing workloads. These rack-mounted servers are designed to snap into existing IT environments, and afford commodity-based, high-performance computing in an industry-standard form factor. Additionally, Appro’s high-density HyperBlade Cluster Series combines the advantages of blade servers and rack-mounted servers, using a hybrid blade/1U form factor. Like blades, Appro HyperBlades plug into a common backplane, thereby eliminating cable clutter. Like 1U rack-mounted servers, Appro HyperBlades are also independent servers. Vertically mounted, these solutions double traditional server density, making them particularly well-suited for HPC server consolidation in the data center, says John Lee. Flexible and scalable, Appro’s server and cluster solutions create simpler, higher-value, and trusted HPC experiences in compute-intensive applications such as:

• electronic design for electronics, automotive, and aerospace
• petroleum exploration and production
• scientific visualization for oil discovery and recovery
• research in seismic, weather, and environmental sciences (see “Practical Application” sidebar)
• defense and classified research/production
• financial modeling and risk management.

Multi-Core Processing: Empowering HPC As previously stated, multi-core server processor technology is a key enabler of HPC cluster computing, and serves to provide significant improvements in supercomputing infrastructure. One of the leaders in multi-core processor development is Intel Corporation, whose Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5100 series and Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series bring benefits to HPC clustered computing environments through significantly increased performance, more efficient power handling, and solid reliability. The Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor 5100 series provides up to three times the performance of its Single-Core Intel Xeon predecessor, and up to two times better performance compared to previous-generation Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor-based servers, says Intel. With marked boosts in power efficiency and the flexibility to support larger data sets and 32- and 64-bit applications, the low-voltage (80 Watts and below) Dual-Core 5100 series also provides advanced redundancy and error-checking features for application consolidation and improved data security. The Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series represents the industry’s first quad-core processor offering that has been designed for standard high-volume, two-processor server platforms. Intel reports that this series provides up to 50% greater performance compared to a Dual-Core Xeon 5100 family processor in the same power envelope. Further, the Quad-Core 5300 series supports both 32- and 64-bit architectures for robust single- and multi-thread application performance and improved performance-per-watt, with eight MB of on-die cache, full-speed, independent front-side bus, and fully buffered DIMMs. Powerful Partnership In the manufacturing realm, when leaders partner with leaders, exceptional solutions emerge. As an Intel Channel Premier Partner, Appro and Intel work together to provide the most advanced, powerful and stable high performance computing solutions, complemented with customized services and support to help IT organizations align their technology solutions more closely with their business goals. Since choice and flexibility are very important for HPC customers, Appro offers HyperBlade and HyperServer series of products, powered by either Dual-Core or Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors, providing improved overall HPC performance, power efficiency, and the reliability required by the HPC community. “Appro HyperBlade cluster series and HyperServer family of products, when combined with the benefits of Intel’s multi-core technologies, have the potential to change the shape of enterprise and technical computing datacenters,” says Richard Dracott, General Manager of High Performance Computing in Intel’s Server Platforms Group. “These new servers and cluster solutions based on Intel Xeon processors offer the performance, scalability, and reliability to power the most demanding HPC applications.” Practical Application: Climate Simulation at ESRL Last year, the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL)—which operates as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research—requested from Appro a supercomputer to perform extremely complex climate simulations and other related computing that would support ESRL’s mission to understand the atmospheric mechanisms that drive Earth’s climate. The system that Appro delivered to Boulder, Colo.-based ESRL in November 2006 was built around Appro’s HyperServer 1223x, a 1U form factor offering outfitted with 356 dual-processor servers based on Intel Dual-Core Xeon processors. This computer’s architecture is unique in that it is based on a dual-rail 2D interconnect topology using double data rate 12X Infiniband connections running at a full duplex rate of 12 GB/sec. The system has 1,424 processing elements, with a peak processing capability of over 15 Teraflops. Your next Step To learn more about Appro’s HPC cluster solutions based on Intel Xeon processors, visit www.appro.com/products/intel_main.asp. Comprehensive Services: What Makes Appro Different Professional Services • Full integration services • Hardware/software development • Engineering consultation • Demonstrated expertise within target verticals Global Support • Round-the-clock global support • Local presence in key domestic markets • Rapid fulfillment unmatched by competitors • On-site spare parts plan Compute-on-Demand • Flexible computing • Dynamically meet cyclical peaks • Fully installed and managed by Appro