Linux the FASTEST!

[Chriis]

A new supercomputer code-named "Roadrunner" is being touted as the world's fastest machine so far. Designed and built by IBM, this super computer, costing nearly $100 million, can operate at 1 petaflop per second, which is equivalent to one thousand trillion calculations per second.

This makes it twice as fast as the reigning "numero uno" aka IBM's Blue Gene system at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Again, Blue Gene is nearly three times faster than top contenders on the current 'top 500 supercomputers' list.

Additionally, "Roadrunner" is also billed to be the world's first hybrid supercomputer. Interestingly, it has been designed using components originally designed for video game platforms such as the Sony Playstation 3. "Roadrunner" operates on open-source Linux software, works in conjunction with x86 processors from AMD, and has 80 terabytes of memory.

Sorry Bill :-)
:lolflag:

[barbedsaber]

f@h

think about it, if it spent 1 or 2 hours on it, where would we be?
(yes I know that f@h is meant for distributed processing, but still...)

[Steveway]

Not like we did expect something different.
Linux is clearly one of the best options for supercomputers and of course for personal desktops (even though people tend to disagree with the last one.).

[NovaAesa]

80 terabytes of memory?!?!?! That's huge!!!

[rickyjones]

Linux is the fastest because it is running on the fastest supercomputer? I'd love to see comparative tests but the supercomputing market does not have Microsoft's eyes....

It makes me happy to know that Linux is running on it but come on, leave Microsoft alone in this regard. Mock Microsoft when they announce that their OS will be running on the next supercomputer, and then only if it fails to run on it.

This is definitely a good thing for open source software, showing how adaptable it is.

Sincerely,
Richard

[barbedsaber]

80TB of ram, hey, isn't that the recommendation for Vista?

[KingTermite]

Nothing new....Linux has been the platform of supercomputers for a few years already. This isn't the first.

[Npl]

Has more to do with all those Cell-Processors than the Operating system. If Roadrunner gets MSDOS running, it will still be the fastest computer in the world....

[Tom Mann]

I was going to mention that, Windows will never run on Roadrunner as Microsoft will not support PowerPC (hence Cell) processors.

[Npl]

I was going to mention that, Windows will never run on Roadrunner as Microsoft will not support PowerPC (hence Cell) processors.There are a couple (thousands) dualcore AMD-CPUS that could run Windows easily. Cells are acting as accelerators and could be aswell doing so on top of Windows - thats a bit like saying I cant run Windows because I got a NVidia GPU and Windows aint running on that GPU.

[benhagerty]

f@h

think about it, if it spent 1 or 2 hours on it, where would we be?
(yes I know that f@h is meant for distributed processing, but still...)

That would be amazing

[KingTermite]

Has more to do with all those Cell-Processors than the Operating system. If Roadrunner gets MSDOS running, it will still be the fastest computer in the world....

Not true....the OS still does have a lot to do with it. Just throwing in extra processors hardly does a thing if the OS can't divide the threads/applications up across the processors.

True parallel processing takes MUCH OS and programming support. Standard programming techniques are not designed to run in parallel...that's why there are language variations (like parallel C) and separate compilers for them.

[Novega]

f@h

think about it, if it spent 1 or 2 hours on it, where would we be?
(yes I know that f@h is meant for distributed processing, but still...)

If it spent 1 or 2 hours on it, the project would be ahead by around 25 to 50 minutes.
Roadrunner = 1 pentaflop
F@H = 2.25 pentaflops

But yeah, it'd be a welcome addition :)

[shadylookin]

well it was either linux, BSD, or some proprietary unix. MS never really wanted the super computer market, but kudos to the kernel team for making it incredibly scalable

[BDNiner]

omg, linux was just the choice platform for the super computer. there are a number of reasons why linux was chosen. but don't knock M$ for this, the engineers could have decided to get windows running on it if then felt like it. i would expect some type of *nix OS to run on most super computers since that would be the easiest to get running and give the engineers more control of what the OS actually did.

[LightB]

Not surprised, there's been other Linux supercomputers before.

[Eclipse.]

80TB of ram, hey, isn't that the recommendation for Vista?

No, its 40TB.;)

[gameryoshi600]

I do not know who would need that. You can never have a top of the line machine.

[dudude]

I could be wrong, but I think RHEL was used for the machine.