Supercomputers are the ultimate engine of the information age. By generating and processing vast amounts of data with hitherto unparalleled speed, they make new activities in industrial research and product development possible.
Supercomputers explores commercial supercomputer applications today as well as those emerging from university laboratories. It outlines trends in the supercomputing technology into the near future, and also contributes to a growing debate on the roles of the public and private sectors in nurturing this vital technology.
- Supercomputers: Directions in Technology and Applications
- Copyright
- PREFACE
- Contents
- PART A OPENING REMARKS
- 1 Welcome
- 2 Supercomputers: Vital Tool for the Nation's Future
- 3 Introduction
- PART B THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF SUPERCOMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
- 4 Existing Conditions
- Characteristics of High-Performance Computers
- Types of Computers
- Taxonomy of High-Performance Computers
- General Purpose
- Special Purpose
- Research
- THE SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT—A MATRIX
- Trends in the Generic Information Technologies
- Processing
- Storage
- Communications
- Interface
- Modes of Operation
- RATIONALE FOR USE OF SUPERCOMPUTERS
- Requirements for Supercomputing: The User Perspective
- The Dimensions of Arithmetic Complexity
- An Example of Complexity
- The Scale of Response Times
- Benefits of Supercomputing: The Managerial Perspective
- TRENDS IN SUPERCOMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
- Trend in Execution Rate at Los Alamos National Laboratory
- High-Performance Computing
- Serial versus Parallel Processors
- Dimensional Analysis of Execution Rate
- Trend in Component Densities
- Trend in Cycle Times
- Trend in High-Speed Logic Technologies
- Milestones in Processor Architecture
- Architectural Efficiency
- Balance in Vector Processor Design
- Parallel Processing
- Flynn's Taxonomy
- An Expanded Taxonomy of Architectures
- Key Issues in Parallel Processing
- A Taxonomy of Limits to Massive Parallelism
- CONCLUSIONS
- 5 Toward the Future
- THE CURRENT STAGE IN SUPERCOMPUTING
- Speed
- Central Processing Units
- Memory Size
- Input/Output
- Peripherals
- Physical Size
- Software
- Systems
- THE NEXT STAGE IN SUPERCOMPUTING
- Parallel Processing Environment
- Component Technology Development
- Device Speed
- Circuit Density
- Metal Interconnect
- Substrate Material
- Power Consumption
- Packaging
- Testing and Measurement
- System Technology Development
- Architecture Concepts
- Solution Time
- Exploitation of Parallelism
- Application Technology Development
- SUMMARY
- New Directions
- Potential Impact
- Need for Technological Leadership
- DISCUSSION
- PART C EXISTING APPLICATIONS OF SUPERCOMPUTERS IN INDUSTRY
- 6 Deciding to Acquire a Powerful New Research Tool—Supercomputing
- USING COMPUTATION TO PRODUCE PHARMACEUTICALS
- ASSESSING ADVANTAGES OF SUPERCOMPUTING
- Immediate Feedback for Rapid Results
- Increased Human Input
- Visualization of Results
- CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR SUPERCOMPUTING
- Gaining Acceptance
- Defining Computing Requirements
- Protecting Corporate Investment
- MAKING A DECISION
- 7 Using Supercomputing to Transform Thinking About Product Design
- UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR COMMUNICATION
- USING SUPERCOMPUTERS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
- Visualization as a Stimulus for Creativity
- Visualization and Simulation of Physical Processes
- Visualization Applied to the Manufacture of Products
- ASSIMILATING SUPERCOMPUTING INTO THE R&D CULTURE
- 8 Achieving a Pioneering Outlook with Supercomputing
- EXTENDING THE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS
- ADDING SUPERCOMPUTING CAPABILITY
- DISCUSSION
- PART D CONCLUDING REMARKS