Dell High Performance
Computing Clusters
Building High Performance Computers Out of Standards-Based Components
Dell HPCC Cluster Benefits
Now, more than ever, technology is capable of powering the most intense research and business applications.
• Exceptional price/performance
• Industry-standard components
• Modular, scalable architecture
• Easy to deploy and manage
• Excellent service and support
And High Performance Computing Clusters have emerged as an exciting alternative to expensive
supercomputers. Yet, how do you effectively harness this capability and make the most of it in your
environment?
Dell HPCC solutions put the best technology at your fingertips easily and for a fraction of the cost of traditional
supercomputers. Delivering cutting-edge technology and performance at an amazing price, Dell HPCC solutions
provide the power necessary for your most demanding projects at an exceptional value.
Dell Delivers a Complete HPCC Solution
Through a combination of industry-standard hardware, the most advanced processor technology, software
solution and excellent service and support, Dell provides an end-to-end HPCC solution tailored to meet the
challenges of your high performance environment. Our comprehensive lines of Intel®-based servers, robust
storage and high-bandwidth networking products allow you to build a fast, flexible, reliable cluster solution that
is easy to manage.
Dell Cluster Solutions. Easy as
Visit www.dell.com/clusters for more information.
“Even if a company must buy thousands of
Dell Clustering Solutions Are Designed to Make HPCC Easier, Faster and Simpler
processors to attain the raw power of a
Powerful, incredibly affordable industry-standard components form the building blocks of the Dell HPCC
supercomputer, making the switch often
architecture. This modularity offers many advantages. It gives you the flexibility to build a system that
makes financial sense. First, the price per
processor is far less in a cluster. For
example, an IBM Regatta, which is a
supercomputer-class Unix machine with
64 processors that CGG Americas used in
addresses your specific needs. It also enables you to purchase what you can afford today, with the ability to
grow as your problems or resources change. Plus, any piece of the solution can be easily replaced as technology
advances and the components can be reused in other applications to help protect your investment. It also
enables quick and simple deployment and easy ongoing manageability.
the late 1990s, cost the company $1.5 million
to $2 million. Two years ago, by comparison,
CGG Americas paid Dell $830,000 for an initial
cluster of 256 machines, or 512 processors.
That’s about $31,250 per processor for the
supercomputer compared to $1,621 per
processor for the cluster.”
Baseline, December 20021
Giving you Choice and Flexibility
Dell will work carefully with you to build a cluster that takes full advantage of our available technology. Of the
many configuration options available, Dell offers solutions built with PowerEdge™ 1750, PowerEdge 2650,
PowerEdge 3250 and PowerEdge 1655MC servers. The cluster is based on either Fast Ethernet or Gigabit2
Ethernet network connections. PowerEdge 1750, 2650, 3250 and 1655MC configurations can be deployed from
our prepackaged solutions with as many as 128 nodes in a cluster. Our custom configurations are available
through Dell Professional Services and can be customized to your sizing needs.
For customers with applications requiring a High Speed Low Latency interconnect for node-to-node
communications, Dell provides Myricom’s Mryinet technology through custom offerings.
Centers of Research Excellence
DELL ENTERPRISE SERVICES
Each year Dell recognizes innovative uses of HPCC in academic, commercial and government applications,
By leveraging the proven advantages of our direct
model, including tailored service and support, low
cost and a single point of accountability, Dell
Services can provide you with fast, effective,
affordable service offerings at any point in your IT
process. Whether you need professional
consulting, training and certification, deployment,
or support services, Dell promises to be your
single point of accountability at all times.
projects and research through the Dell Centers of Research Excellence program. The award is based on the
following criteria:
— Innovation in HPCC applications or solutions
— Size and scope of the cluster
— Applications and types of research
Professional Services
The Cornell Theory Center received Dell’s Center for Research Excellence award in October 2002 for their
clusters of 64 Dell PowerEdge servers with a total of 256 processors on Microsoft® software. “CTC is receiving
this award due to their groundbreaking research and for their pioneering role in the use of clustering
technology,” said Michael Dell, CEO of Dell.
Congratulations to The University of Buffalo, State University of New York, this year’s winner, recognized for
their cluster of 2,000 PowerEdge servers for bioinformatics research.
Dell Professional Services enables Dell customers
to optimize ROI by leveraging complex technology
through the design, development and deployment
of innovative, robust and scalable business-critical
solutions. With each engagement, we utilize our
proven methodology and project management
expertise to understand your business objectives,
design plans that are flexible to adapt to your
current environment and then deliver the desired
results.
Deployment Services
operating at the university’s Center for Academic Computing. The cluster consists of 128 PowerEdge 1550
We bring you deployment assistance that delivers
true value from beginning to end. Dell can tailor
systems to our customers' specifications by
customizing the hardware and software
configuration during the initial system-build to
reduce redundancy and time. We can manage the
delivery, installation and disposal of your assets
with the same eye for efficiency.
servers, with a total of 256 processors, and runs on the Red Hat Linux operating system. Researchers use a
Training and Certification Services
large number of application programs for their research. Low-cost Dell clusters stretch Pennsylvania State’s
of maintenance, reliability, footprint, and form factor. “We already had a strong relationship with Dell, so we
Our approach to Training and Certification allows
you to outsmart your competitors - not outspend
them - with industry standard learning across Dell
hardware and industry standard software. Dell
can assist you wherever you need us, whether
on-site, on-line or in a classroom setting, to help
your organization take full advantage of information
technology.
were confident we would be well supported,” says Vijay Agarwala, Director of PSU’s High Performance
Enterprise Support Services
Computing and Visualization Group. “Dell’s pricing was very competitive, and they had a range of servers that
Technology is a significant investment, and it pays
to have a partner who can help you minimize costly
downtime. Through our Enterprise Support
Services offerings, Dell provides tiered support
service packages with the flexibility to customize
the offering to meet your specific needs across a
wide range of computing environments. With
proactive and reactive support options which
include hardware and software support with varied
response levels, account management, and remote
resolution, Dell provides support solutions that
meet your needs, cost effectively.
Case Study: Pennsylvania State University
Walk into almost any academic building these days on the Pennsylvania State University campus, and you’ll
find researchers smiling. They’re getting a boost from the university’s newest Dell-based computing cluster
budget and extend the benefits of high-performance computing to more researchers.
In choosing Dell as the supplier for its cluster servers, PSU considered a number of factors: initial price, ease
met our specifications. Their systems have sufficient redundancy, meeting our needs for uptime and recovery.
Finally, we needed a rack-mountable system to match our physical space requirements, and the PowerEdge line
is well suited to that kind of setup.” The new LION-XE cluster consists of 128 PowerEdge 1550 servers, which is an
ultra-thin 1U system. PSU’s PowerEdge 1550 servers are configured with dual Intel Pentium® III processors
running at 1GHz and equipped with 2GB RAM and a 36GB3 SCSI hard drive. “Because the PowerEdge 1550 is
so slim and the processors are more powerful than those in our first cluster, we’re getting eight times the power
per square inch,” Agarwala says. “You just don’t see those kinds of rapid price/performance advances in the
proprietary world.”
Services vary by region. For more information on the
available services in your area, please visit
www.dell.com.
Currently, Pennsylvania State's newest Dell-based computing cluster consists of 176 PowerEdge 2650 servers
running Red Hat Linux. The low cost of the Dell clusters stretch budget and extend benefits of high performance
computing to more researchers. May 2002.
Easy as
Dell HPCC Products: Advanced Technology for Your Advanced Research Projects
Visit www.dell.com/clusters to view validated configurations, special offers, technical white papers,
case studies and more.
PowerEdge 1750 Servers
PowerEdge 1750
— Ultra-thin 1U form factor
— Up to two Intel® Xeon™ processors with Hyper-threading technology
— Up to 438GB internal storage capacity
— Up to 8GB of 266MHZ ECC DDR SDRAM
— ServerWorks® GC-LE chipset utilizes 533MHz front side bus, 2:1 memory interleaving for fast memory
PowerEdge 2650 Servers
PowerEdge 2650
— Rack-dense 2U form factor
— Up to two Intel Xeon processors with NetBurst Micro-architecture with Hyper-Threading support
— Up to 365GB internal storage capacity
— Up to 12GB ECC DDR SDRAM
— ServerWorks GC-LE chipset utilizes 533MHz front side bus, 2:1 memory interleaving for faster memory access
PowerEdge 3250 Servers
PowerEdge 3250
— Rack-dense 2U form factor
— Up to two Intel Itanium 2 processors
— Up to 292GB internal storage capacity
— Up to 16GB of 266MHz ECC DDR SDRAM
— Intel E8870 chipset utilizes 400MHz front side bus
PowerEdge 1655MC Servers
PowerEdge 1655MC
— 3U enclosure holds up to six server blades
— Up to two Intel Pentium® III processors
— 146GB (2 x 73GB) maximum internal storage
— Up to 2GB 133MHz ECC SDRAM
— ServerWorks ServerSet LE3.0
PowerConnect™ Network Switches
PowerConnect Switches
— Ethernet and Gigabit options
— Enterprise-class reliability and performance
— Standards-based
— A wide range of port number options: 8, 16, 24, or 28
— Contact your Dell Technical Sales Representative for recommendations.
Operating Systems
Option of Red Hat Linux or Microsoft® Windows® 2003
Build the HPCC solution that is right for you
Call your Dell sales representative to build a clustering solution that is right for your organization’s intense
computation needs. Visit www.dell.com/clusters or call 1-800-www-dell for more information.
Dell Cluster Solutions. Easy as
Visit www.dell.com/clusters for more information.
Dell cannot be responsible for errors in typography or photography.
1
2
Reprinted from Baseline, December 2002, with permission. ©Copyright 2002 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All rights reserved.
This term indicates compliance with IEEE standard 802.3ab for Gigabit Ethernet, and does not connote actual operating speed of 1 Gb/sec. For high speed transmission, connection to a Gigabit Ethernet server and network infrastructure is required.
Dell, the Dell Logo, PowerEdge, PowerVault and PowerConnect are trademarks of Dell Inc. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks and Xeon is a trademark of Intel Corporation. Red Hat is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus
Torvalds. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. ServerWorks is a registered trademark of ServerWorks, Inc. EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer
to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. ©Copyright 2003 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of
Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. For more information contact Dell. July 2003, Kolar.