Switzerland is making waves in the world of supercomputing with its fastest computer located in Lugano. The Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS) at ETH Zurich houses the High Performance Computing (HPC) system, which is used for solving highly computationally intensive tasks such as climate modeling, particle physics calculations, and the development of a digital twin of the Earth system.
Established in 1991, the CSCS serves as a National User Lab, where research proposals are evaluated through competitive processes and funded with free access to the national high-performance computer. Additionally, the CSCS maintains its own computing system called “Arolla” for weather forecasting purposes.
The most powerful system at the CSCS, named “Piz Daint,” was among the top 10 most powerful computers in the world until autumn 2020. With a computing power of around 25 petaflops, Piz Daint can perform an impressive 25 trillion arithmetic operations per second. However, the current title for the strongest supercomputer belongs to the “Frontier” system in the USA, which can achieve a staggering 1194 petaflops. It is closely followed by Japan’s “Fugaku” system with 442 petaflops. Piz Daint now holds the 28th position on the top 500 list.
Exciting developments are underway at the CSCS, as its successor, “Alps,” is being developed since 2019. Alps will specialize in artificial intelligence (AI) applications and is expected to be up to 7 times faster than the previous record holder for machine learning. The CSCS announced that Alps was initially planned to be completed later this year, but the start has been postponed to spring 2024. The estimated cost for the project is around 132 million Swiss francs, although the actual expenses for supercomputer developments can be challenging to estimate accurately. Notably, the university had budgeted 18 million francs for tapes alone last fall, and HPE had received a 30 million franc order for a memory expansion a few weeks earlier.
To ensure the availability of electrical and cooling capacity for the CSCS over the next 5 years, a service provider will be contracted. The CSCS has issued a call for tenders for a framework contract worth 4 million Swiss francs. The needs for electrical and cooling services are often known at short notice, and the planning and implementation timeline is determined by the order and delivery deadlines for the computer.
According to the annual report, the CSCS spent CHF 33 million in 2022, with an additional CHF 9.5 million spent by third parties. So far, 12.6 million francs have been invested, with 10.1 million of them allocated to the new system.
Switzerland’s commitment to supercomputing and its advancements in the field position it among the world leaders in this cutting-edge technology. With the fastest computer in the country and exciting developments on the horizon, Switzerland continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of supercomputing.
In what ways does Piz Daint’s processing capabilities benefit particle physics research and help gain insights into the fundamental building blocks of the universe
.5 exaflops, or 1.5 million trillion arithmetic operations per second.
Despite being outranked by Frontier, Piz Daint still remains a significant player in the field of supercomputing. It is an IBM-built supercomputer, utilizing a combination of NVIDIA Tesla and Intel Xeon processors, as well as NVIDIA’s Tesla GPUs. This powerful combination allows Piz Daint to efficiently handle the complex calculations required for scientific research.
One of the main areas of focus for Piz Daint is climate modeling. With the increasing concern over climate change, scientists are working on developing more accurate models to understand and predict global weather patterns. Piz Daint’s immense computing power enables researchers to run large-scale simulations and analyze vast amounts of data, helping to improve the accuracy of climate models and ultimately enhance our understanding of climate dynamics.
Another important application of Piz Daint is in particle physics calculations. High-energy physics experiments, such as those conducted at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), generate massive amounts of data. Analyzing this data requires powerful computing resources, and Piz Daint’s capabilities are invaluable in processing and analyzing the enormous datasets produced by particle physics experiments. This helps researchers gain insights into the fundamental building blocks of the universe and pushes the boundaries of our understanding of physics.
In addition to climate modeling and particle physics, Piz Daint is also utilized for other computationally intensive tasks, such as simulating the behavior of materials, optimizing energy systems, and developing a digital twin of the Earth system. These diverse applications demonstrate the versatility and importance of supercomputing in various scientific disciplines.
Switzerland’s focus on supercomputing is evident not only through its powerful machines but also through initiatives like the National User Lab. By providing funding and access to high-performance computing resources, the CSCS encourages and supports research in a wide range of fields. This collaborative approach fosters innovation and ensures that Switzerland remains at the forefront of scientific advancements.
As supercomputing continues to evolve, Switzerland’s dedication to this field positions it as a key player in the global scientific community. With its impressive machines and commitment to supporting research, Switzerland is making significant contributions to solving complex problems and pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge.
