Basic HTML version of Foils prepared 10 Sept 1996

Foil 12 Technologies for High Performance Computers

From New CPS615Master Foils-- 26 August 96 Basic Simulation Track for Computational Science CPS615 -- Fall Semester 96. by Geoffrey C. Fox


1 We can choose technology and architecture separately in designing our high performance system
2 Technology is like choosing ants people or tanks as basic units in our society analogy
  • or less frivolously neurons or brains
3 In HPCC arena, we can distinguish current technologies
  • COTS (Consumer off the shelf) Microprocessors
  • Custom node computer architectures
  • More generally these are all CMOS technologies
4 Near term technology choices include
  • Gallium Arsenide or Superconducting materials as opposed to Silicon
  • These are faster by a factor of 2 (GaAs) to 300 (Superconducting)
5 Further term technology choices include
  • DNA (Chemical) or Quantum technologies
6 It will cost $40 Billion for next industry investment in CMOS plants and this huge investment makes it hard for new technologies to "break in"

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© on Tue Oct 7 1997