SC10 was fascinating…of course. The world's largest supercomputing convention is always a great barometer of the HPC industry. It gives you a look at what's happening now, and where the industry is going (in case you weren't there, the words "cloud" and "exascale" were in wide use.) This year, SC also provided a great barometer of the progress of the Intel Cluster Ready architecture and the ecosystem building around it. That’s because it was the venue for our second annual Partner Appreciation Awards ceremony.

One thing I found particularly gratifying about the presentations this year is that several of the key awards centered around real-world solutions that are having an impact in the marketplace. The awards also highlighted the behind-the-scenes contributions of some HPC vendors that are breaking new ground in the small-to-mid-range HPC market.  These guys are doing some very cool things and they don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Take a look at the award-winning vendors below, and click on the links if you want to know more. I think you’ll be intrigued by the scope and value of their offerings.

Just for the record, we gave awards in three different categories:

• Pioneer Awards, honoring early adopters and promoters of Intel Cluster Ready.
• Pathfinder Awards, to distinguish those who are working with Intel Cluster Ready to forge new paths into previously unexplored markets.
• Explorer Awards, for those who have continued to explore and implement new programs to advance solutions based on the Intel Cluster Ready architecture.

Here’s the list of the 2010 award winners. Enjoy!

Solution 1 - The Seismic Coverage Validation Engine from Landmark is a preconfigured supercomputing solution for oil exploration that is expanding the use of HPC methods into smaller shops. And the award winners are:

• Landmark (Pioneer) delivers the complete appliance, the Seismic Coverage Validation Engine
• Appro (Pathfinder) furnishes the hardware (32 nodes and up) with its Ready-To-Go Clusters

Solution 2 - A number of vendors helped Simpson Strong-Tie deploy a new cluster in just two days, enabling the company’s engineers to run more complex models and get results two to three times faster, while halving the data center footprint and reducing total costs. (Read the case study.)

• SIMULIA (Explorer) provided the simulation software (Abaqus/Explicit) and the pre-sales benchmark testing that closed the deal.
• Silicon Mechanics (Explorer) furnished the hardware with its Hyperform HPCi for Intel Cluster Ready.
• Platform Computing (Pathfinder) has also optimized its PCM middleware for the Intel Cluster Ready architecture, providing a simple cluster management environment for non-expert HPC users.

Solution 3 - Two vendors were particularly instrumental in helping the University of Plymouth deploy a cluster to support ground-breaking research into renewable energy through wave farming.

• Viglen (Explorer) delivered the hardware optimized for out-of-the-box simulations.
• Concurrent Thinking (Pathfinder) provided SmartCluster, designed for complete cluster software provisioning with one-click Intel Cluster Ready validation.

Driving the Market Forward (other behind-the-scenes contributors)

• ANSYS (Pathfinder) is accelerating the adoption of HPC in smaller design shops, by proving the value of its simulation solutions running on Intel Cluster Ready certified clusters through in-house benchmarking.
• Clustercorp (Pathfinder) has optimized its ROCKS+ middleware for the Intel Cluster Ready architecture. ROCKS+ now enables exceptionally simple provisioning and build of certified clusters.
• Mellanox Technologies (Pioneer) and the HPC Advisory Council, which was founded by Mellanox, are delivering a range of compliant fabric solutions, along with installation guides for open source applications on Intel Cluster Ready clusters.
• QLogic (Pathfinder) provides fabric solutions optimized for the Intel Cluster Ready architecture, and has been instrumental in early testing and benchmarking of Intel MPI 4.0 on its InfiniBand hardware.

Honorable Mention
A lot of additional vendors are focused on the Intel Cluster Ready architecture, and are delivering significant new technologies and products. A handful of them received honorable mention awards, including:

• Bright Computing: Bright Cluster Manager for the Intel Cluster Ready architecture
• ClusterVision: Responsible for an array of Intel Cluster Ready cluster deployments
• Fujitsu Technology Solutions: Now providing a range of certified cluster products.
• ICON: Driving new market penetration by promoting Intel Cluster Ready for digital simulation.
• Panasas: High-performance parallel storage solutions
• SGI: A family of Intel Cluster Ready certified solutions, including its innovative Octane III desk-side cluster.
• Transtec: Responsible for a significant number of critical, real-world implementations.

That's it for this year's winners. I'd like to add my personal thanks to all of them. Stay tuned for more information. I’ll be focusing in on some of these technologies and solutions in more detail in future blogs.

>> Learn more about Intel Cluster Ready HPC solutions

Were you there? Please leave your comments about SC10.

Check back for more news and a follow-up from SC10.

Let Intel Cluster Ready be your guide…

Take the Intel Innovation Tour, learn about some of the Intel Cluster Ready partners, and enter to win a HP Pavilion Mini Netbook. Several tours each day, and a daily drawing at 5:00pm Wed. Check at Intel booth #2813 for times and details.

In-Booth Presentations & Demos at Intel Booth #2813
Come by to see the demos, hear about the latest Intel technologies, and catch up with the Intel Cluster Ready team and partners.

Presentation:

• Wednesday, Nov. 17, 10:00 am – Intel's Bill Magro will present Everything Works! End User Experience with Intel Cluster Ready. Come hear about end users like Simpson Strong-Tie and others who are reaping the value of an Intel Cluster Ready cluster.

Demos:

• 7 Reasons Why You Need Intel Cluster Ready, by Aspen Systems, Inc., Professional HPC Clusters and Services
• Appro Ready-To-Go Cluster Demo: Ready-To-Go Clusters for Seismic Coverage Validation Engine, part of Halliburton, Landmark ProMAX® software suite - Maximize geophysical investments with Appro Ready-To-Go Cluster, a pre-configured Intel® Cluster Ready certified supercomputing solution. Pre-tested to run Landmark's new Seismic Coverage Validation software tools, this solution makes the process of choosing the right system easy.

More Fun Events to Come at SC10!

HPC Idol 2010 – Giving up those HPC blues. Have time for a party on Wednesday evening? Don't miss the Platform Computing party at the House of Blues, from 6:30 – 10:00pm, Nov 17th.

Possibly, one of the highlights of this event will be an original, never before and likely never again, song from Intel Cluster Ready.... "Get Ready" with back-up vocals by the "Clusterettes."

How do you get your invitation to attend? Just stop by the Platform Computing booth #2739, Intel booth #2813, or QLogic booth #3649 to ask for an invitation to attend!

Partner Presentations

In the Appro Booth #1939:
Wednesday Nov 17th -

• 11:15am – Intel Cluster Ready and Appro Ready-To-Go Clusters, Rick Layden, Intel

• 11:45pm – Ready-To-Go Clusters with ANSYS, Barbara Hutchings, ANSYS

In the QLogic Booth #3649:
Wednesday Nov 17th -

• 1:30 pm – It's all about InfiniBand Clusters, presented by Jeremy Siadal of Intel.

Don't forget to look for us, your Intel Cluster Ready team, in booths 2813 and 4517.

Hope to see you here in New Orleans!

View webinar » Boost ANSYS Performance with HPC Clusters

On October 28th, ANSYS will host a joint webinar with Appro and Intel that highlights using ANSYS Mechanical HPC on clusters and dives into details of how the three companies are working to address issues to make clustering simpler.

I'll be participating in the talk and providing examples of what Intel Cluster Ready architecture means to the ANSYS application and the Appro solution.  Together, we'll focus on points that relate directly to our efforts to simplify purchasing, deployment, management, and use of cluster solutions.

This Virtual Seminar will be interactive.  We want to hear what your pain points are related to clusters, too! 

Please join us and take part in the discussion. Choose the AM or PM session that works best for you. Click on the headline below to access the registration links.

Webinar: Boost ANSYS Performance with HPC Clusters

Thursday, October 28, 2010
9:00 A.M. EDT, 1:00 P.M. GMT

Thursday, October 28, 2010
1:00 P.M. EDT, 5:00 P.M. GMT

Duration: 90 minutes

Join us for a Virtual Seminar to learn:

• How to simulate, analyze, and visualize models faster by deploying ANSYS HPC
• How the ANSYS and Intel Cluster Ready partnership simplify purchasing and speed deployment, helping to make cluster management affordable and easy
• How Intel Cluster Ready can help you to deploy, troubleshoot and optimize an ANSYS HPC cluster

All so you can get your job done faster.

Register now!

WHO: Halliburton's (NYSE: HAL) Landmark and Software Services business line, premier provider of software and technology for the upstream oil and gas industry, and Appro, a leading provider of supercomputing solutions, and Intel, a world leader in computing innovation

WHAT: Announce the launch of an Appro pre-configured Intel® Cluster Ready certified supercomputing solution that is pre-tested to run Landmark's new Seismic Coverage Validation Tools.  The wave equation-based Illumination and Visibility software helps geoscientists design 3D seismic surveys and select processing parameters optimized for geologic targets in traditionally poorly imaged areas. The software runs on a pre-configured Appro GreenBlade™ System based on Intel® Xeon® processors featuring dual socket, 32 nodes with up to 12 CPU cores per node and 8GB of memory. The result provides geoscientists with an Intel® Cluster Ready solution that is easy to deploy and maintain "out of the box."

WHEN: Demonstrations will occur at the SEG International Exposition October 17 – 20 in Denver, CO.

WHERE: Appro booth #1116, Halliburton booth #1611, and Intel booth #2562.

WHY: Complex subsurface environments, like deepwater and subsalt, present many challenges to seismic acquisition design and imaging, including azimuthal orientation, image shadows and amplitude variations in the data which can lead to incorrect interpretations and reservoir models. Landmark's Illumination and Visibility technology analyze and model the seismic signal from source, to subsurface target, to receiver so that the geophysicist can optimize imaging parameters to a specific subsurface target or make the required design changes to future seismic acquisition surveys. These accurate wave equation-based techniques are compute intensive, requiring the high performance computing from Appro's cluster deployment. This architecture, optimized to run Landmark's Seismic Coverage Validation tools, will provide faster results so geoscientists can make improved and more timely exploration decisions while lowering overall exploration costs.

For more information please visit www.halliburton.com.

About Appro
Appro is a leading developer of supercomputing solutions. Appro is uniquely positioned to support High Performance Computing markets focusing on small, medium to large-scale deployments where lower total cost of ownership is essential. Appro accelerates technical data-intensive applications for faster business results through outstanding price/performance, balanced architecture coupled with latest technologies, open standards and engineering expertise. Appro headquarters is in Milpitas, CA with offices in Korea and Houston, TX.

To learn more go to www.appro.com.

About Landmark
Landmark is the premier provider of software and technology services for the upstream oil and gas industry. Our software solutions, built for the DecisionSpace® environment, help improve insight from data in ways never possible before, across the entire exploration and production life cycle. Landmark's technology deployment and hosting services, petrotechnical computing portfolio, software training, and certified customer support are globally available to help our customers realize the maximum return on their technology investments.

Visit www.halliburton.com/landmark/ for more information.

About Halliburton
Founded in 1919, Halliburton is one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the energy industry. With more than 55,000 employees in approximately 70 countries, the company serves the upstream oil and gas industry throughout the life cycle of the reservoir - from locating hydrocarbons and managing geological data, to drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion, and optimizing production through the life of the field.

Visit the company's Web site at www.halliburton.com

Landmark's new Seismic Coverage Validation Tools with Appro supercomputing solution,  introduced a pre-configured ready to go architecture that is pre-tested, Intel Cluster Ready certified, and ready to run.

The wave equation-based Illumination and Visibility software helps geoscientists design 3D seismic surveys for geologic targets. The result provides geoscientists with an Intel Cluster Ready solution that is easy to deploy and maintain "out of the box."

Read the full Configuration Guide for more details.

>> Read the Solution Guide

The Intel® Cluster Ready Program enables faster, easier deployment of higher performance HPC clusters based on the Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series. Intel Cluster Ready makes it simpler to choose, deploy and manage HPC clusters, and ensures application and system interoperability. In doing so, it enables companies to rapidly capitalize on the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series and use it to solve bigger problems, expedite total application performance, and reduce TCO. Bottom line: simpler, more powerful and more cost-effective high performance computing. The Intel Cluster Ready certification gives customers another reason to deploy the Appro GreenBlade solution by offering confidence that the cluster architecture and software are certified to work together. It also gives Independent Software Vendors (ISV) the ability to run their software in this certified cluster platform providing a fast and cost-effective implementation for industry-specific solutions.
Not all blades are created equal. In the HPC sector, blades need to be both green and provide high performance. The Appro GreenBlade System provides an extremely flexible and manageable way to create high-density computing. It is designed to scale, with little effort or re-configuration.
The Appro cluster solution based on the GreenBlade building block offers a variety of interconnect options to include only standard 1U Ethernet or 1U Infiniband (IB) switches. This is accomplished by pre-allocating space in each rack cabinet for two standard 24-port Infiniband or Ethernet switches. This offers flexibility for customers who may choose to deploy either an Ethernet or IB-based HPC cluster. Appro also offers variations in the Infiniband interconnect with ConnectX DDR single IB, DDR dual IB or QDR single IB configurations. The Appro GreenBlade is unique in this category; each blade can provide one or two QDR InfiniBand ports on the motherboard and thus do not require any additional PCIe HCAs to be added to the blade. All these options provide excellent network bandwidth and low latency at an affordable price point to many HPC workloads that require higher performance for their applications.
In addition, the Appro GreenBlade offers standards-based Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) with a choice of Appro’s remote server management or open source cluster management software solutions.
Long considered to be primarily useful only for HPC-scale deployments, blades are beginning to make inroads into the midsize HPC segment. With the introduction of blade products designed specifically for the needs of this market, such as the Appro GreenBlade system, midsize HPC customers are more likely to turn to blades for their day-to-day server infrastructure needs. The Appro GreenBlade is suited for small to midsize departmental and workgroup high performance computing data centers looking for flexibility of system configuration and network connectivity. This addresses the need for performance, reliability, floor space, power and cooling limitations, storage and remote management options at an affordable price. In addition, the Appro GreenBlade is ideal for HPC applications that require high bandwidth and low latency access to system memory, clustering, and Storage Area Networks (SAN).

In addition to improved memory performance, Intel has introduced some other enhancements. The New Intel® Xeon Processors now include Intel® Turbo Boost Technology that improves performance by allowing the operating system to increase core frequencies within the current power envelope. The idea is to increase the clock speed of cores if others are idle while still staying within the thermal specifications. In addition, Intel® Intelligent Power Technology allows for individual cores to be powered down when not in use. The power draw for both memory and the I/O controller on idle nodes can be reduced as well, bringing the idle power consumption for the Nehalem to 10 watts.

There are other improvements worth noting. While not used as much in HPC, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is back allowing more threads than cores to operate at the same time. Memory Capacity is now 144GB and the L3 cache is shared between all cores on each Nehalem processor. There have been other improvements in virtualization technology as well.