HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 15 September 1996

Foil 8 Technologies for High Performance Computers

From CPS615-Lecture on Performance(end) and Computer Technologies(start) Delivered Lectures of CPS615 Basic Simulation Track for Computational Science -- 5 September 96. by Geoffrey C. Fox *
Secs 475.2
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"

Table Font Size


© Northeast Parallel Architectures Center, Syracuse University, npac@npac.syr.edu

If you have any comments about this server, send e-mail to webmaster@npac.syr.edu.

Page produced by wwwfoil on Fri Aug 15 1997