Virginia Tech Supercompuer - Now at #3?

MacRumors · Oct 28, 2003, 04:24 PM

MacBidouille links to an interim update on Supercomputer rankings (pdf).

The latest results give the Virginia Tech G5 Cluster a score of 9.5 TFlops. Previous preliminary results placed the G5 Cluster at 7.41 TFlops which placed it at 4th place.

The new score of 9.5 TFlops overtakes a Linux 2304 Intel Xeon cluster.

Again, these are still preliminary numbers. Official numbers to be released in November.

the_mole1314 · Oct 28, 2003, 04:25 PM

This placing has changed, what, 4, times? I mean, we don't we wait another week or so to the final results are in?

Makosuke · Oct 28, 2003, 04:26 PM

Sort of like listening to bits of a sports match on the radio--we can't see any of the details, all we get are nonfinal scores every once in a while.

I'm waiting for the ESPN recap, and to find out how well all the other teams scored, for that matter--there could be plenty of new fast clusters around the world (not in Texas, though).

mvc · Oct 28, 2003, 04:39 PM

Go Big Mac!!

You bewdy!

gwuMACaddict · Oct 28, 2003, 04:41 PM

lets not get grumpy about all the different benchmark numbers...

whats a few teraflops between friends?

MacsRgr8 · Oct 28, 2003, 04:41 PM

Since Panther this speed increase???

MrMacMan · Oct 28, 2003, 04:42 PM

Go SuperComputer...

Though why not wait till the *offical* numbers are put out... I'd rather not like to see Big Mac at 10 instead of #3...

mymemory · Oct 28, 2003, 04:45 PM

¿How many Teraflops has my Pismo G3 500? it has 256MB of ram!

From Win to Mac · Oct 28, 2003, 04:53 PM

by the time we get to november, it'll be in first place. Think about it... a TeraFlop or two a week, you can go far with that.
lol

go Bic Mac

Mr.Hey · Oct 28, 2003, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrMacman
Go SuperComputer...

Though why not wait till the *offical* numbers are put out... I'd rather not like to see Big Mac at 10 instead of #3...

why?, well to build up the suspense of course

. MR knows how to milk its cow

.

Macmaniac · Oct 28, 2003, 04:57 PM

#3 would be great, it would show how effective macs can be as supercomputers, and how low cost they are for the performance you get.

From Win to Mac · Oct 28, 2003, 04:59 PM

If Apple is smart, they've flooded that VTech Campus with Apple Hardware Engineers straight from California, to try and max that sucker out until there isn't one single processor cycle left to run the dock bounce effect...

manu chao · 05:20 PM

The theoretical peak performance of the VT cluster is 17.6 teraflops. In a test with only 128 processors active, they achieved a real performance of about 80% of the theorectical value (80% of what 128 processors could theoretically do). Usually, the more processors you have, the harder it is to get close to the theoretical values.

With 9.5 teraflops, they are now at roughly 54%, which is still rather low, so on can expect some more improvement if everything goes well (and they don't miss the deadline). The biggest Intel (2304 Xeons) cluster achieves 74% of its theoretical value, which corresponds to 7.6 teraflops.

If they could get to 80% they would be at 14 teraflops or second place (there is one at 13.8). But there is no chance that they will become number one, they would have to exceed their theoretical performance.

Another thing that makes the race so interesting, that, although initially their numbers were compared to a list published in June, they are not the only who have started building a supercomputer since then, and other people have been providing new results as well.

And BTW, they have been running a beta version of Panther from the beginning.

tychay · 05:08 PM

Bah, I posted the 9.555 TFlops number on MacRumors message board a couple days ago.

Methinks someone at MacBid must have read it.

Rincewind42 · Oct 28, 2003, 05:04 PM

I knew they could do better than 42% efficiency. The last numbers we saw (around 8.4Tflops iirc) were 48%, and the latest is nearly 54%. 3 more days to eek out a few more optimizations and we may even see 10 Tflops

.

Rincewind42 · Oct 28, 2003, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrMacman
Go SuperComputer...

Though why not wait till the *offical* numbers are put out... I'd rather not like to see Big Mac at 10 instead of #3...

Well, if they aren't on these preliminary lists yet, then they had better get it together as they only have 3 days left in October...

macmax · Oct 28, 2003, 05:15 PM

#2 mostly

http://wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,60821,00.html

manu chao · Oct 28, 2003, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by macmax
#2 mostly

http://wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,60821,00.html

As I said before, these numbers were based on a preliminary test running only 128 processors and a comparison of theoretical peak performances.

iHack · Oct 28, 2003, 05:48 PM

Imagine that, a panther running that fast on the world's most famous junk food

M.

(sorry for the lame joke - couldn't resist

)

aethier · Oct 28, 2003, 05:49 PM

Well, if we keep up like this, there is a nice chance to see "Big Mac" in 2end place, come November.

aethier

Mr Jobs · Oct 28, 2003, 07:46 PM

how many bounce do you think it takes for safari to load on that machine...ha ha ha

BurntCalc · Oct 28, 2003, 08:05 PM

Wasn't the deadline Oct. 1? I know they're tweaking the numbers, but the final list submissions have already been sent in, which would place the cluster at between #4 to #6. Or are they allowed to adjust their numbers until Nov. 5?

I'm confused...

-John

jettredmont · Oct 28, 2003, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by manu chao
But there is no chance that they will become number one, they would have to exceed their theoretical performance.

Dude, I know you mean well, but you obviously haven't seen the trendline. We're gaining 2Teraflops every week or two. This time next year we'll be at 100 TFlops or so. Theory, shmeory! #1 is obviously within our grasp!

I mean, jeez, it's like you can't read a simple linear extrapolation of a trend line. And I bet you call yourself an engineer!

jettredmont · Oct 28, 2003, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BurntCalc
Wasn't the deadline Oct. 1? I know they're tweaking the numbers, but the final list submissions have already been sent in, which would place the cluster at between #4 to #6. Or are they allowed to adjust their numbers until Nov. 5?

I'm confused...

-John

I believe the machine had to be assembled and have preliminary results by Oct 1. The final results deadline is apparently a bit later.

Phil Of Mac · Oct 28, 2003, 08:47 PM

Whichever spot it ends up in, you can be sure that Apple's gonna hype it.

But you won't be able to buy your own cluster at the Apple Store!

Oct 28, 2003, 04:41 PM	#5
gwuMACaddict macrumors 68040 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: washington dc	lets not get grumpy about all the different benchmark numbers... whats a few teraflops between friends? __________________ *"if everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn't thinking"*

Oct 28, 2003, 04:42 PM	#7
MrMacMan macrumors 601 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: 1 Block away from NYC.	Go SuperComputer... Though why not wait till the offical numbers are put out... I'd rather not like to see Big Mac at 10 instead of #3... __________________ There is a little Steve in all of us! -->Folding is Fighting Against Disease and help MacRumors. Join Today!<-- Props to --> Shadowfax For Making My Avatar! IM Me On AIM Already!

Oct 28, 2003, 04:53 PM	#9
From Win to Mac macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada	no sweat... by the time we get to november, it'll be in first place. Think about it... a TeraFlop or two a week, you can go far with that. lol go Bic Mac

Oct 28, 2003, 04:57 PM	#11
Macmaniac macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: A tiny spec in the "Garden State", 1 square mile in area, somewhere on the outskirts of town by the railroad tracks	#3 would be great, it would show how effective macs can be as supercomputers, and how low cost they are for the performance you get. __________________ The customer is NOT always right

Oct 28, 2003, 04:59 PM	#12
From Win to Mac macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada	and something else... If Apple is smart, they've flooded that VTech Campus with Apple Hardware Engineers straight from California, to try and max that sucker out until there isn't one single processor cycle left to run the dock bounce effect...

Oct 28, 2003, 04:24 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Virginia Tech Supercompuer - Now at #3? MacBidouille links to an interim update on Supercomputer rankings (pdf). The latest results give the Virginia Tech G5 Cluster a score of 9.5 TFlops. Previous preliminary results placed the G5 Cluster at 7.41 TFlops which placed it at 4th place. The new score of 9.5 TFlops overtakes a Linux 2304 Intel Xeon cluster. Again, these are still preliminary numbers. Official numbers to be released in November.

Oct 28, 2003, 04:25 PM	#2
the_mole1314 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Dayton, OH	This placing has changed, what, 4, times? I mean, we don't we wait another week or so to the final results are in?

Oct 28, 2003, 04:26 PM	#3
Makosuke macrumors 68040 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: The Cool Part of CA, USA	Sort of like listening to bits of a sports match on the radio--we can't see any of the details, all we get are nonfinal scores every once in a while. I'm waiting for the ESPN recap, and to find out how well all the other teams scored, for that matter--there could be plenty of new fast clusters around the world (not in Texas, though).

Oct 28, 2003, 04:39 PM	#4
mvc macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Outer-Roa	Tearing up the teraflops Go Big Mac!! You bewdy! __________________ If Apple really wanted to secure their OS to their own hardware, they might have tried something stronger than limmericks

Oct 28, 2003, 04:41 PM	#6
MacsRgr8 macrumors 601 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: The Netherlands	Since Panther this speed increase??? __________________ Drag and Drop for Windows users: DRAG your peecee off your desk, and DROP it in the trash.

Oct 28, 2003, 04:45 PM	#8
mymemory Banned Join Date: May 2001 Location: Miami	¿How many Teraflops has my Pismo G3 500? it has 256MB of ram!

Oct 28, 2003, 05:00 PM	#13
manu chao macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2003	The theoretical peak performance of the VT cluster is 17.6 teraflops. In a test with only 128 processors active, they achieved a real performance of about 80% of the theorectical value (80% of what 128 processors could theoretically do). Usually, the more processors you have, the harder it is to get close to the theoretical values. With 9.5 teraflops, they are now at roughly 54%, which is still rather low, so on can expect some more improvement if everything goes well (and they don't miss the deadline). The biggest Intel (2304 Xeons) cluster achieves 74% of its theoretical value, which corresponds to 7.6 teraflops. If they could get to 80% they would be at 14 teraflops or second place (there is one at 13.8). But there is no chance that they will become number one, they would have to exceed their theoretical performance. Another thing that makes the race so interesting, that, although initially their numbers were compared to a list published in June, they are not the only who have started building a supercomputer since then, and other people have been providing new results as well. And BTW, they have been running a beta version of Panther from the beginning. Last edited by manu chao : Oct 28, 2003 at 05:20 PM.

Oct 28, 2003, 05:01 PM	#14
tychay macrumors regular Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA	Bah, I posted the 9.555 TFlops number on MacRumors message board a couple days ago. Methinks someone at MacBid must have read it. __________________ terry chay Spinodal Systems & Plaxo Last edited by tychay : Oct 28, 2003 at 05:08 PM.

Oct 28, 2003, 05:04 PM	#15
Rincewind42 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Orlando, FL	Sucks to be a Naysayer doesn't it I knew they could do better than 42% efficiency. The last numbers we saw (around 8.4Tflops iirc) were 48%, and the latest is nearly 54%. 3 more days to eek out a few more optimizations and we may even see 10 Tflops .

Oct 28, 2003, 05:15 PM	#17
macmax macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: caribbean	#2 mostly http://wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,60821,00.html

Oct 28, 2003, 05:48 PM	#19
iHack macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: 5.7 m below sea level. No, really. In the Netherlands some 10,000,000 live below sea level.	Imagine that, a panther running that fast on the world's most famous junk food M. (sorry for the lame joke - couldn't resist) __________________ 17" iMac 1GHz 768 MB Ram + 12" PoBo rev. A 640 MB Ram served by a 1.42 GHz Mac mini running Tiger server

Oct 28, 2003, 05:49 PM	#20
aethier macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Montréal, Canada	Well, if we keep up like this, there is a nice chance to see "Big Mac" in 2end place, come November. aethier __________________ My mobile workstation: 15' 1.25GHz AL Powerbook; Ati Radeon 9600 64mb; 80Gb 5400rpm HDD; Superdrive; 1024Mb of ram Mobile Gaming: PSP Mobile Music: 3g 15bg iPod, 1g ipod shuffle, white 4g nano

Oct 28, 2003, 07:46 PM	#21
Mr Jobs macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: London, England	how many bounce do you think it takes for safari to load on that machine...ha ha ha __________________ Functionless art is only tolerated vandalism

Oct 28, 2003, 08:05 PM	#22
BurntCalc macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Tucson	Umm... Wasn't the deadline Oct. 1? I know they're tweaking the numbers, but the final list submissions have already been sent in, which would place the cluster at between #4 to #6. Or are they allowed to adjust their numbers until Nov. 5? I'm confused... -John __________________ [Press any key to continue, any other key to abort.]

Oct 28, 2003, 08:47 PM	#25
Phil Of Mac Banned Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Washington State University	Whichever spot it ends up in, you can be sure that Apple's gonna hype it. But you won't be able to buy your own cluster at the Apple Store!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode