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Sun Super Computer May Hit 2 Petaflops

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the coming-out-swinging dept.

Fletcher writes to tell us that Sun Microsystems has revealed their "Constellation System", a new supercomputing platform that the company hopes will put them back in the running for top dog in the supercomputer race. "The linchpin in the system is the switch, the piece of hardware that conducts traffic between the servers, memory and data storage. Code-named Magnum, the switch comes with 3,456 ports, a larger-than-normal number that frees up data pathways inside these powerful computers. 'We are looking at a factor-of-three improvement over the current best system at an equal number of nodes," said Andy Bechtolsheim, chief architect and senior vice president of the systems group at Sun. "We have been somewhat absent in the supercomputer market in the last few years.'"

7 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. And yet... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Java apps still take 3 minutes to start up on it.

  2. Couldn't resist... by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well if they just move the petaflops out of the way before it gets there, they won't have to worry about it hitting them.
    -
    In Soviet Russia, TFA reads you!

  3. Great units by Life700MB · · Score: 5, Funny

    We are looking at a factor-of-three improvement over the current best system at an equal number of nodes

    Whoa, slowdown boy, just tell us how many laptop-miles of power this machine has!


    --
    Great hosting 200GB Storage, 2_TB_ bandwidth, php, mysql, ssh, $7.95
  4. Whooshhh... by Idbar · · Score: 5, Funny

    You missed the official rules.

  5. Do you feel lucky? by TheWoozle · · Score: 5, Funny

    The linchpin in the system is the switch, the piece of hardware that conducts traffic between the servers, memory and data storage. Code-named Magnum, the switch... I know what you're thinking. Did I forward 65,535 packets or 65,536 packets? Well, to tell you the truth, in all the excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a Sun Microsystems Magnum, the most powerful switch in the world, and would blow your IP clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? Go ahead. Make my day.
    --
    Insisting on "correct" English is like saying that there is only one, definitive recipe for chili.
  6. Re:3,456 by flaming-opus · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually 3456 is 12 X 12 X 12 X 2. It's not actually a 3456 port router, it's a fat tree of 24-port router modules. Each rank 1 & 2 module has 12 ports down and 12 ports up. The rank 3 modules have 12 ports down, and 12 sidelink ports to one another. Thus you end up with a 3456 port, rank 3.5 fat tree all in one box.

  7. Re:Obligatory by joe_bruin · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...but will it run linux?

    The first one of these being built, at the Texas Advanced Computing Center, is in fact running Linux, not Solaris (See this Register article). Sun will support both.