Here’s the translation in American English:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is leading exascale computing with El Capitan, a system designed to ensure national security and foster scientific discoveries.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is about to deploy El Capitan, the first exascale supercomputer from the United States National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). With a projected computing capacity of over 2 exaflopsAn exaflop is a unit of measurement in supercomputing that … (2 quintillion double-precision floating-point operations per second), El Capitan is set to be the most powerful computational system in the world when it begins operations in 2024.
A tool for national security
Funded by the NNSA’s Advanced Computing (ASC) program, El Capitan’s primary goal is to ensure the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear arsenal without the need for underground testing. This system will be crucial for designing and managing a modernized arsenal and addressing other critical national security missions.
In addition to its defense applications, El Capitan will be employed in unclassified research such as material discovery, high energy density physics, and conventional weapons design. Its ability to perform complex simulations makes it an indispensable tool for tackling scientific and technological challenges.
Unprecedented technological innovation
El Capitan will be equipped with the AMD MI300 accelerated processing unit (APU), which combines CPU and GPU cores on a single chip through a 3D chiplet design. This approach ensures exceptional performance and greater energy efficiency. Among its standout features are:
- Slingshot interconnect system, which ensures fast and efficient communication between nodes.
- Rabbit local storage, which reduces latency and enhances processing capacity close to computing nodes.
- A unified operating environment based on the TOSS (Trilab Operating System Software), which simplifies system management and improves user experience.
The system will require around 30 megawatts (MW) of power to operate at full capacity, enough to supply a medium-sized city. Despite this consumption, El Capitan stands out as one of the most energy-efficient supercomputers in the world.
Impact on science and technology
El Capitan will not be alone in its mission. It will have complementary systems like Tuolumne and RZAdams, designed for research projects in areas such as energy security, climate change, and cancer drug discovery. These systems, while smaller in scale, will share some of the responsibilities of El Capitan and expand its impact into areas of public interest.
Additionally, the laboratory is already operating three early access systems related to El Capitan: Tenaya, Tioga, and RZVernal, all of which rank among the most powerful supercomputers in the world according to the Top500 list.
Preparing for the exascale era
The installation of El Capitan has required years of planning and collaboration between public and private entities. LLNL has undertaken a comprehensive upgrade of its facilities, significantly improving the power and cooling capacity of its high-performance computing center.
The implementation of El Capitan marks a milestone in exascale computing, which will not only strengthen national security but also open new opportunities for scientific discovery and technological innovation.
A legacy of leadership
With the arrival of El Capitan, LLNL reinforces its position as a global leader in high-performance computing. This supercomputer not only promises to push the current limits of computing but also to set new standards for integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into scientific simulations.
As El Capitan prepares to come online, it represents a bold vision for the future of science, technology, and security, reaffirming LLNL and NNSA’s commitment to innovation and progress.