News supercomputer model from Hitachi

 Tokyo 17 Sep 99 Hitachi will release worldwide an enhancement model of "SR8000 Series", the "Model F1, beginning from September 20th. This is an addition to the lineup of the super technical servers created by the Information & Telecommunication Systems . The Model F1 provides processing capability of up to 6.1 Tflop/s. The company expects to sell over 120 systems of the SR8000 Series, including current models, over the next three years.

In May 1998 the super technical server " HITACHI SR8000 (maximum configuration of 128 nodes*4, with a maximum processing capability of 1 Tflop/s)" with a high effective performance equal to conventional vector supercomputers and with a high scalability equal to parallel computers. In March this year, we also released our "SR8000 Compact Model(actually two models with a maximum processing capability of 8 Gflop/s and 4 Gflop/s respectively).

The "Model F1" has a maximum processing capability per node of 12 Gflop/s This is 50 percent higher than the current "SR8000" model. The number of nodes can also be extended up to cover a maximum 512, four times as large as current systems. Thus the world's fastest maximum processing capability of 6.1 Tflop/s is achieved. It also has increased the maximum memory capacity per node to 16 GB, and the memory capacity per system to 8 TB.

Furthermore, the "Model E1" with a maximum processing capability of 4.9 TFLOPS and the "Model C", a compact model that has a maximum processing capability of 12 GFLOPS will be simultaneously released.

These new releases have shortened the machine cycle and improved logical structures of the processors, inter-node network and so on. Thanks to this, the performance of the following key features, which have been inherited from our current model, has been improved:

  • RISC microprocessor developed by Hitachi
  • "Pseudo vector processing" function used for faster numerical calculation by a microprocessor
  • "Cooperative microprocessors in single address space" function for simultaneously and quickly starting multiple microprocessors that comprise a node
  • Multidimensional crossbar network used as a network topology for improving inter- node communication.

These models will use a UNIX-based operating system "HI-UX/MPP for SR8000 " for maximizing hardware performance. They also provide an " Application Program Development Environment" as a facility for speeding up programming.

Release date and prices

Release date

Model E1, Model F1 February, 2000

(4 nodes to 128 nodes)

Model E1, Model F1 individual quotations

(129 nodes to 512 nodes)

Model C February, 2000

Prices (excluding tax):

Model E1, Model F1 starting from approx. 9 million yen per month (rental) Model C starting from approx. 54 million yen (purchase)

 

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