Intel Processors Selected to Power Next-Gen DOE Supercomputers

[btarunr]

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) selected next-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors (code-named "Sapphire Rapids") to power the supercomputers used within NNSA's Life Extension Program for mission-critical efforts in stockpile stewardship. The NNSA's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory awarded a subcontract to Dell Technologies to supply the Intel-powered computing systems that will be deployed at the NNSA's Tri-Labs (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories).

Today's news supports the NNSA's Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program operated at the NNSA's Tri-Labs. The Commodity Technology Systems contract (CTS-2) awarded today will enable these three national laboratories to build more powerful, energy-efficient computing systems that will focus on performing extensive modeling and simulation capabilities in support of NNSA's stockpile stewardship program.



Initial system deliveries are scheduled to begin in mid-2022 and continue through 2025. The systems will replace the current ASC commodity systems that were sourced by the 2015 CTS-1 contract and are nearing retirement.

The computing systems being built through CTS-2 will incorporate next-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors with next-generation Dell EMC PowerEdge servers. The Xeon Scalable processors are optimized for high-performance computing workloads, with built-in acceleration for modeling and simulation, artificial intelligence and high-performance data analytics.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[ZoneDymo]

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[MagnuTron]

Also, knowing Dell server prices I assume they took at hefty hit on the margin to reach this contract? I just delievered Super Micro servers to a customer at half the price of a Dell server :/

 

[Patriot]

butwhy.gif

"mission-critical efforts in stockpile stewardship" Nvdimms for database? idfk seems strange. Might be the we have to give every vendor a shot.... and AMD might be at the end of their supply.

 

[W1zzard]

I was talking to a US-based server hosting company this week, asked about Zen 2 EPYC options (not Zen 3), they said impossible to find, 8-12 weeks lead time. Pair that with Intel discounts, availability, established track record and industry contacts, I'm not surprised.

 

[PanicLake]

Department of Energy... I get it, they don't care if how much they consume, they have plenty (Energy).

 

[londiste]

butwhy.gif

If I had to guess, Intel has the ability to provide them CPUs produced in US?
Depending on application Intel might not be that much behind AMD especially since this is specifically about Sapphire Rapids.

 

[Tardian]

Let's hope it is more DoE than D'oh.

 

[InVasMani]

Slow to change and reluctant to do so is part of it.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Curious, ya think NASA already has software thats specific to Intel??

 

[HD64G]

The big $ incentives might have to do with the selection of Intel more than anything else. Corruption in the administrative personnel is well known for centuries now. My 5c.

 

[GURU7OF9]

I sure hope Intels next gen Saphire Rapids are at least somewhat competative with AMD or its going to look mighty embarrassing for all concerned!

 

[Why_Me]

Good on Intel. Team Blue is making waves.

Intel breaks ground on $20 bln Arizona plants as U.S. chip factory race heats up

Intel Corp on Friday broke ground on two new factories in Arizona as part of its turnaround plan to become a major manufacturer of chips for outside customers.

www.reuters.com

 

[GURU7OF9]

I was talking to a US-based server hosting company this week, asked about Zen 2 EPYC options (not Zen 3), they said impossible to find, 8-12 weeks lead time. Pair that with Intel discounts, availability, established track record and industry contacts, I'm not surprised.

Interesting insight! Kinda sad really! Big business at its best !

I bet if it was Intel with the 8- 12 week lead time it wouldnt matter one bit, even if the product was way inferior as is the case now!

Funny how when purchasing things you would normally look at perfomance / cost / running costs/ availability /reliability and back up support.
Now in this case mentioned, if the performance and running costs of said AMD product was massively superior, reliability and back up support is looking pretty damn good as well, then the only logical conclusion would be to wait the few months for a far superior product that wins hands down!

The only time that wouldnt suit would be if you needed it like yesterday!

Bottom line is, people/companies are willing to overlook a vastly superior product in pretty much every concievable way and yet still prefer to go with far inferior product of Intel at this current time !

That makes absolutely no business sense !

 

[W1zzard]

That makes absolutely no business sense !

It makes 100% sense. If I need new servers now, what choice do I have? Or go for some super overpriced cloud provider that have Zen 3 stock, and pay 50x the cost I'd usually pay

We don't need new servers now anyway, and I don't have time to migrate it, so will wait until next year

 

[GURU7OF9]

To Wizzard : You obviously didn't read my post properly!

Requote " The only time that wouldn't suit would be if you needed it like yesterday "

I think your reply has indicated a very strong preference to Intel regardless of how good the competition is , ie AMD, which is exactly what I have been saying the whole time in my post above !

 

[InVasMani]

Is Zen 3 really up to x50 more cost on the bleeding edge side of things? That seems wild and just shows how much money is at stake for Intel to get back to the front of the pack.