ARCHER supercomputer targets research solutions on epic scale
A new generation supercomputer, capable of more than one million billion calculations a second, is to be inaugurated at the National Museum of Scotland today.
The £43 million ARCHER (Academic Research Computing High End Resource) system will provide high performance computing support for research and industry projects in the UK.
ARCHER will help researchers carry out sophisticated, complex calculations in diverse areas such as simulating the earth’s climate, calculating the airflow around aircraft, and designing novel materials.
Its magnitude and design will enable scientists to tackle problems on a scale that was previously thought impossible.
The system, at the University of Edinburgh’s Advanced Computing Facility at Easter Bush, has up to three and a half times the speed of the HECTOR supercomputer system, which it replaces.
ARCHER’s twin rows of sleek black cabinets are supported by the newly installed UK Research Data Facility.
The system brings together the UK’s most powerful computer with one of its largest data centres. This creates a facility to support Big Data applications, which has been identified by the UK Government as one of its Eight Great Technologies.
The building housing the ARCHER system is among the greenest computer centres in the world, with cooling costs of only eight pence for every pound spent on power.
ARCHER was supplied by US computing experts Cray and is funded and owned by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The Massively Parallel Processor uses Cray’s XC30 hardware. Intel’s Xeon E5-2600v2 processor series enables ground-breaking performance, scalability, and maximises energy efficiency.
Professor David Delpy, CEO of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said:
EPSRC is proud to unveil this new ARCHER service. It will enable researchers in engineering and the physical sciences to continue to be at the forefront of computational science developments and make significant contributions in the use of Big Data to improve understanding across many fields and develop solutions to global challenges.
Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, said:
The University of Edinburgh has for many decades been a pioneer in High Performance Computing. Now that Big Data is reaching into an even greater range of areas we are delighted to have the ARCHER facility and its support at Edinburgh. Together with the UK Research Data Facility, we and the Research Councils have a facility unique in the UK, combining some of the world’s most powerful computers with a vast datastore and analysis facilities. We will work with the Research Councils and UK researchers to generate world-leading research and business impact.
Stephan Gillich, Director Technical Computing EMEA, Intel, said:
ARCHER is the highest ranked UK supercomputer on the Top 500 list of November 2013. Based on Intel Xeon E5 v2 processors, the system is designed to deliver sustained performance and scalability, providing researchers and scientists with a powerful, reliable and productive tool.
Systems support for the machine will be provided by the University’s EPCC and Daresbury Laboratory. Science, user and engineering support will also be provided by EPCC.
The event at the National Museum of Scotland will involve representatives from the University, Cray, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
For media enquiries contact the EPSRC Press Office, Tel: 01793 444 404 or Catriona Kelly, Press and PR Office, University of Edinburgh on Tel:0131 650 4401 or 07791 355 940.
Picture credit Angus Blackburn/University of Edinburgh – Higher res available on request.
Further information:
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The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK’s main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. EPSRC invests around £800 million a year in research and postgraduate training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. The areas covered range from information technology to structural engineering, and mathematics to materials science. This research forms the basis for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone’s health, lifestyle and culture. EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils with responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils work collectively on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK.
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