Centre for Theoretical Cosmology News

COSMOS@DiRAC and SGI announce new collaboration

COSMOS have chosen SGI as its new technology partner for a new shared-memory node, as part of the STFC funded COSMOS@DiRAC collaboration. This extends the long-standing relationship between COSMOS and SGI, which stretches back to 1997. It will allow COSMOS@DiRAC to solve some of the most complicated computing challenges of our time and find answers to some of the most fundamental cosmological questions. SGI's latest UV system includes 1856 Intel Xeon cores and 14.8 terabytes of cache coherent shared memory. Intel is supplying up to 32 Many Integrated Core (MIC) co-processors.

"The collaboration with SGI will enable researching using the COSMOS supercomputer across the UK to advance their ambitious programme of research in both cosmology and exoplanets." said Professor Paul Shellard, CTC Director. "The incredible flexibility and scalability of this next-generation shared memory high performance computing solution from SGI accelerates our work exploting large data sets and tackling complex simulations."

"We have had the pleasure of working with the COSMOS Consortium since 1997", said SGI CEO Ronald Verdoorn. "Now, fifteen years later and initiating their ninth generation of system upgrades, we remain committed to their ongoing success as they help unravel and understand the complexities of the origins of our Universe".

DiRAC is the national integrated supercomputing facility, theoretically modelling the latest research in cosmology, astronomy and particle physics, including research into the very early Universe. It has received £12.32 million from the Government alongisde capital from Universities and the STFC. There are 10 members of the COSMOS@DiRAC Consortium. These are: Cambridge, Central Lancashire, Durham, Imperial, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Portsmouth, Sussex and UCL.

COSMOS.

COSMOS, the UK's national cosmology supercomputer, housed in DAMTP