SCIENCE

Appro enables Intel Cluster Ready Certified 40Gb/sec HPC Systems

Appro (http://www.appro.com), a leading provider of high-performance computing systems, today announced its updated Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer based on Intel Xeon processor 5500 series to be the first to offer two QDR 40Gb/sec InfiniBand (IB) ports with two independent QDR chips per server on board providing excellent network bandwidth and low latency to many HPC workloads that require higher performance for their applications.

The Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer represents the next-generation platform based on scalable clusters designed for medium to large-scale enterprise and HPC deployments. It is ideal to scale out data centers up to a 1000TF of computing power delivering significantly reduced TCO, energy-efficient (green) architecture and a complete lights-out management system to meet the demands of high capacity and enterprise production system availability. Based on the Intel Cluster Ready platform, end users will be able to get the Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer cluster up and running faster than previous deployments and lower operational costs by utilizing software tools like the Intel Cluster Checker.

The new upgrade of the Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer enables the implementation of high performance and highly available clusters offering industry leading lowest latency and data rates of up to 40Gb/sec per port.   In addition, the new Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer will offer options in the Infiniband Interconnect to include ConnectX DDR single/dual rail or QDR single/dual rail IB configurations with low-latency Mellanox ConnectX host channel adapters. It features DDR and QDR network switches with all critical components being easily accessible, hot-swappable, and redundant for reliability and serviceability. This upgrade allows unparalleled I/O connectivity for latency-sensitive clusters and InfiniBand connectivity for applications to achieve unsurpassed efficiency and performance from multi-core processors.

“The Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer delivers high performance and higher availability computing,” said John Lee, VP of Advanced Technology Solutions for Appro. “With this unique Infiniband QDR on board connectivity combined with the latest Intel Xeon Processors 5500 series, Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer will provide outstanding performance in a high-bandwidth and low-latency infrastructure required for today’s capacity computing and production system availability requirements.” 

“The Appro Xtreme-X Supercomputer based on the Intel Xeon 5500 processor series takes advantage of the latest Intel Turbo Boost and Intel QuickPath Technologies minimizing power consumption, increasing memory capacity while improving system I/O bandwidth for high performance computing applications,” said Richard Dracott, Intel Corporation’s General Manager of High Performance Computing.  “The combination of the new Intel Core microarchitecture and the Intel Cluster Ready certification allows end users to combine the optimal balance of performance with faster time to productivity.”