Volume Number: 22 (2006) Issue Number: 2 Column Tag: Programming
An inside look at the inner-workings of the original OS X-based
supercomputer, plans for the final upgrade and the science that
drives System-X, as well as, future directions in the world of
High Performance Computing. by Emmanuel Stein High Performance
Computing (HPC): An introduction Many of today's HPC Clusters,
such as Virginia Tech's System-X, take advantage of open source
software and build their infrastructure around commodity
hardware solutions in what are typically referred to as "one-
off" systems. This type of approach differs dramatically from
many of the more turn-key software driven cluster solutions,
epitomized by Apple's Workgroup cluster, in which software
solutions such as Oracle RAC, gridMathematica and Renderman,
just to name a few, drive the hardware solution appropriate for
a given application. In the case of these systems, enhanced user
experience and facilitated deployment and management represent
the driving forces. Howev