Series of ‘Grand Challenges’ Launched by GENCI for Testing Capacity of 9-Petaflop Atos Supercomputer

Recently, Atos and GENCI (Grand Equipement National de Calcul Intensif) collaboratively announced the soon-to-be launch of the latest Joliot-Curie supercomputer which was installed at the TGCC (Très Grand Centre de Calcul du CEA) located in Bruyères-Le-Châtel (Essonne, France). This system of BullSequana X1000 built by Atos is expected to enter the top 500 ranking of the globe’s largest supercomputers in June 2018.

In order to ensure that everything in the system is operating perfectly, several Grand challenges that comprise of large scale simulations from industrial and academic research are being run. Through these Grand Challenges, chosen scientists are provided with a unique opportunity of gaining access to the supercomputer’s resources which enables them to make major advances. When these challenges end, the supercomputer will be made available to European and French researchers. These researchers will be able to hands-on experience the latest Curie system which is 4.5 times more powerful compared to the previous Curie.

Phillipe Lavocat, the CEO of GENCI commented on this latest introduction, “GENCI is pleased to make the most innovative supercomputer in France, a 9-petaflop BullSequana X1000, available for French and European research, helping to strengthen the global scientific competitiveness of our researchers, academics, and industrialists, and reinforce economic competitiveness based on digital developments. This supercomputer also embodies the acceleration of France’s investment in major research infrastructures for the development of a knowledge society,” 

Specifications of the Joliot Curie

Joliot Curie seems to have brilliant specifications with initial configuration offering the computing prowess of 9 petaflops (9 million billion operation/s). This is equivalent to the power of 75000 desktop PCS. An extension of this version planned in 2019 which exceed the current power to add 20 more petaflops.

The computing nodes of this supercomputer are partially equipped with Intel Xeon Scalable processors and Intel Xeon Phi manycore processors. The peak computing power of this supercomputer is 8.9 petaflops and its distributed memory capacity stands at 400 TB. The supercomputer has a ‘Direct Liquid Cooling’ technology which allows for it to be cooled through hot water which reduces consumption of energy by 40% compared to cooling by air.

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