Putting everything in just a few large HPCN centres?

Mannheim, 21-6-97 In Germany a small number (2-4) of world class large supercomputer centres with each several large TOP500 class machines, dominate the HPCN scene. Is this the way to go or should the money available for HPCN be distributed over more centres or put into competence creation? This was one of the main topics at the Forum discussion at the Mannheim Supercomputer Seminar.

Martin Wacker from the DLR questioned whether money should not be spend on for instance 150 bright young scientists and provide them with a work station. A supercomputer centre costs 70 million DM in investments, which are worthless after three years, contrary to the new scientists.

According to Willi Jäger from the University of Heidelberg, a network of competence in HPCN is just as important as a network of machines. In his opinion, the large supercomputers should only be used for very large tasks. Programme development should be done on smaller compatible machines. Hence remote support for supercomputers is needed.

The new Airbus airplane cannot be developed without large supercomputers, noted Krause from the University of Aachen. To be effectively used by the aerospace industry, higher data transfer rates are needed than are available today. He also is in favour of creating competence centres, which bring together expertise in the HPCN application areas. The centres do not have to be physically located in one place. They can also be distributed with experts communicating by modern technologies.

Horst Simon, director from NERSC in the USA, again stressed that supercomputer centres should be competence centres in the first place, but with the necessary high-performance computers. Big centres are cheaper to operate than smaller ones.

Jim Almond, now at ECMWF in Reading noted that accessing supercomputers is still a dificult and tedious task. This should be made easier.

Lutherman, from the University of Hannover, mentioned an initiative to create a large supercomputer centre in the northern part of Germany. Several states and many institutions are involved. A large centre is nearly always a collaboration between many partners.

Reindefeld, from the University of Paderborn, noted that in the State of Northrhine Westfalia, already several smaller HPCN centres are collaborating and trying to allow each others' users on their SP2, Convex and SGI Origin machines.

In Bavaria, people are trying to put a competence centre together, as a first step to a large supercomputer centre.

Ad Emmen