It’s a super Apple
Virginia Tech and Apple are working together to build the worlds first Apple Supercomputer. 1,100 Power Mac G5 dual processor machines will be interconnected, clustered, when the project is complete.
The new cluster is designed to make its way into the rankings of the world’s largest supercomputers, a list that currently has no Macs. Virginia Tech will use the cluster to perform research on nanoscale electronics, chemistry, aerodynamics, molecular statics, computational acoustics and molecular modelling, among other tasks. Details of the project were first reported by Mac-enthusiast site Think Secret.
The servers in the cluster will be connected through 24 high-speed Infiniband switches from Mellanox Technologies. Infiniband, which was developed by a consortium of server and storage companies, provides greater bandwidth than other interconnect technologies on the market, such as Miranet, and can often cost less.
Switch Clustering technology makes it possible for Apple to take on this challenge. I would assume, since they are using Gigabit Ethernet switches from Cisco Systems, that they will use a Cisco Clustering solution. Apple is determined to make it work for they are halting production of customer’s Power Mac G5 dual processor machines in an effort to supply the needed hardware for this project. I am curious to see the advantages (or disadvantages) that a Mac supercomputer will have over the IBM or Cray supercomputers.
Source: ZDNet UK