GOVERNMENT

The University of Zurich (UZH), the Faculty of Science (MNF) and the computer science from the University of Zurich services beginning in January 2009 the green light for the realization of a new Supercomputers granted. The new High Performance Computing Cluster (HPC) from Sun Microsystems is in the second half of 2009 to be operational. He is one of the world's most powerful computer, which by a University alone operates. Of all the supercomputers in the world would see the new solution today to around Rank 50, and also one of the largest supercomputer in Switzerland. Accordingly, the big Joy at MNF-Dean Daniel Wyler, one of the initiators of the project: "With a computer of this magnitude University of Zurich expands its leading role in the field of supercomputing continues. "
 
The MNF the UZH has a long and successful tradition in supercomputing, as well as own Super computers back: Professor George Lake of the Institute for Theoretical Physics was the first one Supercomputer from commercial PC's built and instead of expensive servers kicked. The first MNF - High-performance computers at all was by Professor Ben Moore and Joachim Stadel, both from the Institute for theoretical physics, was built. Since then, the MNF is already two more generations of supercomputers in operation taken. 

Innovative in every respect
The new HPC cluster will cost 3.4 million francs. He will be built by Sun Microsystems with funding MNF institutes of computer science and services. In addition to control two private foundations with 1.25 million Swiss francs substantially to the realization of the ambitious project at. The 50 TeraFLOPS powerful supercomputer in able in a single day calculations for a single PC will need ten years would. Other scientific calculations are performed by the new supercomputer at all possible.
 
The new supercomputer is innovative in all respects: It offers the latest technologies such as Intel's next Generation processor Intel Xeon (code named "Nehalem"), the Sun Blade server modules driving and an Quad Data Rate Infiniband network of high-performance Sun. But even with the cooling will be totally new ways trod. The supercomputer will also be the point of view of energy efficiency in the context of the "Green - IT" aspirations of UZH operated in the data center and computer science services on campus are Irchel.
 
Sun Microsystems proud of realization of this project
The planned HPC cluster is characterized primarily by its extremely compact design. To the 50 TeraFLOPS total to reach only eight standard computer racks are needed. In six of the racks are called Compute Nodes placed the memory components fill a seventh rack, and the switches and Service Nodes need another. Assuming all the racks side by side, they need only an area of 4.8 x 1.5 m. The computer racks produce on the basis of this compact design, a lot of heat. This requires a sophisticated cooling concept, which, inter alia, through passive Kren resolved. Passive means in this case, in the doors that no fans will be available.
 
As the compute nodes are Sun Blade server, with quad-core CPUs of next-generation Intel and 24 GB Memory operated. As the boat is a medium SSD DIMM available.
 
The compute blades are connected with two different networks. A traditional Gigabit Ethernet network is used for communications such as slow for the installation of the operating system or for server management. The second network is a low latency network with high data throughput conceived. This is a QDR (quad data rate) Infiniband network established, the theoretical bandwidth 40 Gbit / s is located. This design is unique in the industry and allowed, with a very clear wiring diagram compact Infiniband network, which only 1 / 3 of the usual need cable.
 
The compute nodes of the calculated data in a Lustre parallel file saved. This allows the data from every node from the same time save. The maximum achievable bandwidth is about 7.2 Gbps. The storage nodes are all directly on Infiniband connected to the required bandwidth and low Latency to have. The storage is from 8 components, each of a maximum Capacity of 20 TB, 160 TB total therefore, available.
 
The planned HPC cluster is characterized by its compact design, the efficient QDR Infiniband network. The cooling system, the fast and a lot Kapazit offering storage systems and the use of the latest CPU Generation.
 
Highest performance for basic research in biomedicine and nanotechnology
The new supercomputer allows the behavior of the whole molecule and not as up to now, only the single molecules to calculate. Also in the field of nanotechnology, systems biology, astrophysics, cosmology and the physical chemistry is looking forward to the new high-performance computers: It will make it as possible, the Formation of planets, stars and galaxies from the "primordial soup" to be calculated. Similarly, the new supercomputer the key to the results of the Large Hadron Collider LHC at CERN to interpret.
 
Strategic advantage for MNF-researchers
The new supercomputer will be compared with the three are a ten times greater performance. While The researchers of the MNF by international collaborations already have access to even greater Supercomputer abroad, but this is often associated with long waiting times. With the new supercomputer The researchers are now able to make a large part of their calculations on your own Super computer. "The new supercomputer is a necessity for our research and the research space Zurich of great strategic importance, "Wyler is so convinced."
 
 
The new supercomputer MNF in numbers:
51 TeraFLOPS performance
14 terabyte storage
160 TeraByte large parallel file system
576 Sun Blade servers with Intel Xeon processors, the next generation with 2 times 4 computing cores (total 4608 nuclei)
 
The Faculty of Science (MNF) is one of the seven faculties Universit Zurich (UZH). With its over 120 professors at 16 institutions teaching and researching the MNF at the highest level.  In the areas of Life Sciences and Environmental Sciences is one of the MNF UZH Shanghai ranking according to the Europe's top addresses (Rank 5).