SUMMARY breaks down mind-boggling research, future technologies, new discoveries and major breakthroughs.
For the first time, a supercomputer officially broke the ceiling of exaflop and became the most powerful computer ever.
The Frontier supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was able to demonstrate performance of more than 10 ^ 18 operations per second in a standard test called the TOP500, which ranked the 500 most powerful commercially available computer systems, according to the organization.
Great expectations were set for Frontier in 2019, when its construction was first announced. Now, three years later, it is in its final stages of testing with plans for full opening in early 2023.
“Science today is driven by simulation,” said Jack Dongara, a prominent professor of computer science at the University of Tennessee who helps lead the TOP500. “The simulation is done on supercomputers and it is often said that the fastest supercomputer can run the best science.”
One of the biggest challenges in designing an extra-large supercomputer like the Frontier was figuring out how to reduce energy costs. Initially, researchers predicted that these machines could use the same amount of energy as 50 homes; working with vendors to reduce the amount of power required reduces computer power to approximately 20 megawatts per exaflop, or less than a tenth of early estimates.
This cornerstone for Frontier is taking steps toward fulfilling a 2018 Department of Energy promise to build three ex-scale computers at Oak Ridge, Argonne and Livermore National Laboratories, with a budget of up to $ 1.8 million for the entire project. These computers will allow modeling and forecasting with unprecedented precision, which will stimulate innovation in medicine, engineering and nuclear energy, Dongara said; Exascale technology can even improve the modeling and animation of financial risk, he added.
These incredibly powerful systems will eventually be complemented by quantum computers, which are better than these traditional supercomputers at solving certain types of problems (such as those related to cryptography). In the future, Dongara said he could envisage integrating components that power traditional supercomputers and quantum computing to power a computer that could quickly solve both types of problems.
When Frontier starts working, it will function as a crystal ball for modelers and forecasters, Dongara said. However, it is not close to the final destination for supercomputers.
“This is not the end of the story,” he said. “This is a continuation of the path we will take to build bigger and faster supercomputers to help us solve some of the most challenging problems we have today.”
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