From HP-SEE Wiki

Source: http://survey.ipb.ac.rs/index.php?sid=82412&lang=en

HPC architecture (Commodity Cluster, Custom based solutions (mainframe)

We are sensing that the difference between the classic mainframe based resources (SMPs, NUMA systems) and the PC-based clusters has been dissolving as technological elements are mutually transferred between the two.

• How do you see this trend?
  • Vendor 1: Yes, agree. However, this trend will reach its limit in future.
• Do you think that the clustered environments will replace the classic mainframe models?
  • Vendor 1: PC-based clusters will not be able to replace classic mainframe resources at least for the next 5 years. Both will be always needed for certain environments.
• Or do you think that the classic mainframe architectures will survive within the multi-core server architectures?
  • Vendor 1: Yes, classic mainframe architectures will survive within the multi-core server architectures because mainframe resources also implement such technologies.

Processor architectures

The average number of cores in nodes has been increasing.

• Do you think that this trend will continue in the future?
  • Vendor 1: Yes, definitely.
• What do you think to be the largest core number in a single server in a year?
  • Vendor 1: 96
• Do you think that the increasing number of cores will not contribute to the performance increase sufficiently?
  • Vendor 1: Increasing number of cores will contribute to the performance increase sufficiently.
• Do you think that AMD and Intel will dominate the HPC market?
  • Vendor 1: Yes.
• Do you think that the graphics processors will keep representing an increasing share in the CPU portfolio?
  • Vendor 1: Yes, but this inclrese will go slower.

Interconnect technologies

• What do you think to be the most dominant interconnection platform in HPC?
  • Vendor 1: Infiniband

Operating system

HPC is traditionally performed in Linux/Unix environments. Nevertheless Microsoft keeps pushing in this area as well.

• Do you think that the amount of MS Windows operated centers will increase in the future?
  • Vendor 1: Not much.
• Do you think that Linux will outperform other Unix solutions in this field?
  • Vendor 1: Yes.

Virtualization

IaaS clouds are used for decoupling operating systems from the physicalhardware.

• Do you think that such virtualization technologies will show up in HPC to use the hardware platforms more efficiently?
  • Vendor 1: Yes, they will.

Energy efficiency

While 10 years ago it was even a marginal question how much power is needed to run a site, today it is one of the most important price factors parallel to the initial cost. Water cooling helps saving 10-30% of the energy spent on the operating environment, thus different forms of water cooling (racks, server rooms, cooling towers) have begun to appear. Other forms of energy savings are also supported, such as self-standby operations, and power limitations on CPUs.

• Do you think that water cooling will gain significance in the future data centers?
  • Vendor 1: Yes, but price will be the driving component to what extend water cooling will gain significance.