2011-06-21 09:31:36
Mon Jun 20, 11:29 am ET
TOKYO (AFP) A Japanese supercomputer has become the fastest in the world,
making calculations more than three times faster than a Chinese rival, its
developers said Monday.
The c has achieved 8.162 quadrillion calculations per second, or 8.162
petaflops in computer jargon, according to developers Fujitsu Ltd. and the
state-funded Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, known as RIKEN.
In doing so K Computer overtook China's Tianhe-1A of the National
Supercomputing Centre in Tianjin, which became the world number-one in November
and is capable of operating at 2.566 petaflops.
The K Computer's performance was recognised by the Top500 List of
Supercomputers released on Monday at the 2011 International Supercomputing
Conference in Hamburg, Germany, Fujitsu and RIKEN said in a statement.
It is the first Japanese supercomputer since 2004 to become the world's
fastest, a symbolic moment for a nation proud of its cutting edge technology.
NEC's Earth Simulator was the world's fastest machine between June 2002 and
November 2004.
K Computer's developers say the machine will be powerful enough to tackle
complex calculations relating to climate research and disaster prevention.
"Use of the K computer is expected to have a groundbreaking impact in fields
ranging from global climate research, meteorology, disaster prevention, and
medicine, thereby contributing to the creation of a prosperous and secure
society," the statement added.
K Computer is still being configured and has been assembled since October 2010
at a RIKEN's facility in Kobe, western Japan, where it should be completed by
June 2012, the statement said.
It is made up of 672 computer cabinets currently equipped with of 68,544
computer processing units (CPUs), Fujitsu and RIKEN said in a press release.
When finished, the machine will have more than 80,000 CPUs and be able to
operate at 10 petaflops.
Fujitsu and RIKEN chiefs said in statements that the project, launched in 2006
with a total budget of about 112 billion yen ($1.4 billion), had overcome
supply chain difficulties caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that
devasted the country's northeast Tohoku region.
Fujitsu chairman Michiyoshi Mazuka said he was grateful to "our partners in the
Tohoku region for their commitment to delivering a steady supply of components,
even though they themselves were affected by the disaster."
RIKEN president Ryoji Noyori said: "I very much believe that the strength and
perseverance that was demonstrated during this project will also make possible
the recovery of the devastated Tohoku region."
Noyori, the 2001 Nobel laureate in chemistry, told a news conference later: "I
am glad because the world number-one spot, by such an overwhelming margin, has
proven that our country's industrial technology remains sound."
"After all, we must aim for the top in research."
The project's budget was slashed by 11 billion yen in late 2009 under a
belt-tightening drive by the centre-left government.
A minister in charge of administrative reform asked at that time: "What is the
reason for seeking to be the world number one? Can't you make do with second
place?"
But the K Computer may find it hard to survive intensifying competition as a
1,000-petaflops supercomputer is under consideration in the United States while
China continues to invest heavily in supercomputer development, the Yomiuri
newspaper said.