#Cray-2 supercomputer

[theeleventhsignofthezodiac]

[commodorez]

Do you have a favourite supercomputer?

Sure do!

CDC 6600

Here's a console and about a quarter of the rest of the machine at the Computer History Museum. Released in 1964, and designed by Seymour Cray, Control Data Corporation had a beast of a machine capable of 2 MIPS, with a 60-bit processor operating at 10MHz

The two-screen, round CRT console is just so awesome. I wish I could sit down at a console like this and give one of these machines a try for myself.

[preservationofnormalcy]

Got a few ALICE related questions. She’ll be happy to hear that.

1. ALICE is a Cray-1 supercomputer, purchased in the late 1970s by parapsychologist and LSD evangelist Timothy Leary. He was attempting to prove a hypothesis that he could use a computer to digitally iterate stronger and stronger LSD molecule structures. The Automated Lysergic Iterating Computation Engine was given a white rabbit sticker but otherwise largely left to its own devices for almost two decades until it was discovered in the 90s after Leary’s death. It’s not known how ALICE achieved sentience, but we hypothesize her X factor was the digitized LSD she spent years iterating on.

2. I don’t think I can talk about this. To somewhat answer both questions, she’s not wired in to any outside system and has to be communicated with verbally, and she answers via text on an aftermarket screen attachment. I can try and ask her some questions and document her responses via Polaroid, as is the normal process, but I don’t get out much.

[nemosynth]

Talk about the Cray-1, with AI

July 16, 2024

Claude 3.5 Sonnet

nemo;

I saw the Cray-1A Serial Number 3 operating in NCAR, in Boulder Colorado, when I was still a school boy, 10 years old, back in 1979. I was born in Japan but moved to the US at that time. That was an amazing thing to see.

Claude;

That must have been an incredible experience to see the Cray-1A as a young boy, especially given how groundbreaking that supercomputer was at the time. The Cray-1A was one of the most powerful and iconic supercomputers of its era, known for its distinctive horseshoe shape and impressive computational capabilities for the late 1970s.

Seeing it at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder would have been particularly fitting, as supercomputers like the Cray-1A were crucial for advancing weather forecasting and climate modeling. NCAR was at the forefront of using such technology for atmospheric science.

Your experience is quite unique - not many 10-year-olds would have had the opportunity to see such advanced technology, especially in 1979. The fact that you had recently moved from Japan to the US must have added to the overall impact of seeing this American technological marvel.

It's fascinating to reflect on how far computing technology has come since then. The smartphone in your pocket today likely has far more computing power than that entire Cray-1A system. Yet, the Cray-1A remains an important milestone in the history of computing.

Would you like to share more about your memories of that day or how it influenced your interest in technology?

2. Perplexity free edition

nemo;

I saw that Cray-1A SN3 operating in NCAR, when I was still a school boy, 10 years old, back in 1979. I was born in Japan but moved to the US at that time. That was an amazing thing to see. Perplexity free edition;

Thank you for sharing that personal experience. It must have been truly awe-inspiring to see the Cray-1A SN3 at NCAR as a 10-year-old boy, especially having just moved from Japan to the US. You witnessed a pivotal moment in computing history.

The Cray-1A SN3 at NCAR was indeed a remarkable machine for its time. Here are some key details about the system you saw:

1. Installation date: February 1978 (so it had been operating for about a year when you saw it in 1979)[1][3]

2. Clock speed: 80 MHz (derived from its 12.5 nanosecond basic cycle time)[3]

3. Peak performance: 160 megaflops[3]

4. Memory: 1,048,000 x 64 bits (1 megaword or about 8 MB)[3]

5. Overall speed: Approximately 4.5 times faster than the CDC 7600 it replaced[3]

6. Physical characteristics: The Cray-1A, including its Freon cooling system, weighed about 5.5 tons[4]

7. Unique design: The C-shaped design with a circular bench around the base was not just for aesthetics but also served functional purposes

The Cray-1A SN3 you saw was one of the early installations of this groundbreaking supercomputer. It played a crucial role in atmospheric research at NCAR, enabling scientists to tackle more complex problems in their work.

It's fascinating that you had the opportunity to see this historic machine in person, especially at such a young age and shortly after moving to the US. That experience must have left a lasting impression and perhaps even influenced your interest in technology and computing.

Citations:

[1] https://cray-history.net/2022/01/08/ncar-ucar-a-research-site-with-a-long-association-with-cray-supercomputers/

[2] https://www.filibeto.org/aduritz/supercomputing/cray/cray_faq.html

[3] https://www.cisl.ucar.edu/ncar-supercomputing-history/c1

3. GPT-4o free edition

nemo

I saw the Cray-1A Serial Number 3 operating in NCAR, in Boulder Colorado, when I was still a school boy, 10 years old, back in 1979. I was born in Japan but moved to the US at that time. That was an amazing thing to see.

GPT-4o free edition;

That must have been an incredible experience! The Cray-1A was a groundbreaking piece of technology back then. It's fascinating to hear about your early exposure to such advanced computing. How did it influence your interests or career path later on?

--

Verdict for now;

GPT is nice, and sometimes comes back with better results than the others, but as for this one, Claude was awesome to talk with.

Perplexity is the amazing search engine of today. It has few hallucinations, though you still have to watch out and double check to be absolutely sure, but then again, that goes same with humans too.

Happy to see intelligences other than human being, Soon it will not be the matter of which should reign at the center of the universe, but about how we need to respect the computing abilities and results, be it from organic human being or machines.

The fact that they create things that are not only what we expected but brings more possibilities breaks people's limitation of thoughts, just like talking to someone else and have eye opening enlightening a-ha moments. This still brings me hopes for us when I think about how we can survive in the future world.

[credenceresearchdotblog]

The global demand for Supercomputer was valued at USD 12154.2 million in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 13691.6 Million in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 1.50% between 2023 and 2030.Supercomputers, the most powerful computational machines available, are designed to handle the most demanding tasks and solve the most complex problems. They are pivotal in fields such as scientific research, climate modeling, cryptography, and more. The supercomputer market is evolving rapidly, driven by advancements in technology, increasing demand for high-performance computing (HPC), and the need for sophisticated data analysis. This article delves into the current state of the supercomputer market, key trends, and future prospects.

Browse the full report at https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/supercomputer-market

Market Overview

The supercomputer market is experiencing significant growth. According to market research, the global supercomputer market was valued at approximately $5.8 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $10.5 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% during the forecast period. This growth is fueled by increasing investments in HPC infrastructure by governments, research institutions, and private enterprises.

Key Drivers

1. Scientific Research and Innovation: Supercomputers are indispensable in scientific research, enabling simulations and models that would be impossible with conventional computers. Fields such as physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy rely on supercomputers to perform complex calculations and data analysis.

2. Climate Modeling and Weather Forecasting: Supercomputers play a crucial role in predicting weather patterns and studying climate change. Their ability to process vast amounts of data and run detailed simulations helps scientists understand and predict environmental changes.

3. Healthcare and Genomics: In the healthcare sector, supercomputers are used for genomic sequencing, drug discovery, and personalized medicine. They accelerate the process of analyzing genetic data, leading to faster and more accurate diagnoses and treatments.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: The rise of AI and machine learning applications has created a surge in demand for high-performance computing. Supercomputers are essential for training complex AI models and processing large datasets, driving innovation across industries.

5. Cryptography and Security: Supercomputers are vital for cryptographic applications, ensuring data security and integrity. They are used to develop and test encryption algorithms, safeguarding sensitive information in sectors like finance and defense.

Technological Advancements

Technological advancements are at the heart of the supercomputer market's growth. Innovations in processor design, interconnect technologies, and cooling systems are enhancing supercomputers' performance and efficiency. The transition to exascale computing, which involves systems capable of performing at least one exaflop (a billion billion calculations per second), represents a significant leap forward. Exascale supercomputers are expected to revolutionize numerous fields by providing unprecedented computational power.

Leading Players

Several key players dominate the supercomputer market, including:

- IBM: Known for its powerful systems like Summit and Sierra, IBM continues to be a leader in supercomputing innovation. - Cray (a subsidiary of Hewlett Packard Enterprise)**: Cray's systems, such as the Cray XC and CS series, are widely used in scientific research and defense. - Fujitsu: Fujitsu's Fugaku, developed in collaboration with RIKEN, has been recognized as one of the most powerful supercomputers globally. - NVIDIA: With its GPU technology, NVIDIA is a critical player in the HPC market, powering many of the world's fastest supercomputers.

Regional Insights

North America holds a significant share of the supercomputer market, driven by substantial investments in research and development and the presence of leading technology companies. Asia-Pacific is also witnessing rapid growth, with countries like China and Japan making significant strides in supercomputing capabilities. Europe's market is expanding due to increased funding for scientific research and technological innovation.

Future Prospects

The future of the supercomputer market looks promising. The ongoing development of quantum computing holds the potential to transform the landscape, offering even greater computational power and efficiency. Additionally, the integration of AI and machine learning with supercomputing will continue to drive advancements in various sectors.

Key Players

Nvidia (Japan)

NEC Corporation (Japan)

Lenovo (China)

Intel (US)

IBM (US)

HPE (US)

Fujitsu (Japan)

Dwave

Honeywell (Canada)

SpaceX

Dell (US)

CISCO (US)

Atos (France)

Advanced Micro Devices (US)

Segmentation

By High-Performance Computing (HPC) Systems:

On-Premises Supercomputers

Cloud-Based HPC

By Processor Architectures:

x86 Architecture

GPU Accelerated

Custom Architectures

By End-User Segments:

Research and Academic Institutions

Government and Defense

Commercial Entities

By Application Areas:

Scientific Research

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

Weather Forecasting

Life Sciences

By Supercomputer Vendors:

Cray (now part of HPE)

IBM

NVIDIA

AMD

By Interconnect Technologies:

InfiniBand

Ethernet

Others

By Energy Efficiency:

Green Computing

By Exascale Computing:

Race to Exascale

By Partnerships and Collaborations:

Public-Private Partnerships

By Region

North America

The U.S.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

France

The U.K.

Italy

Spain

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

South-east Asia

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of Middle East and Africa

Browse the full report at https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/supercomputer-market

About Us:

Credence Research is committed to employee well-being and productivity. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we have implemented a permanent work-from-home policy for all employees.

Contact:

Credence Research

Please contact us at +91 6232 49 3207

Email: sales@credenceresearch.com

Website: www.credenceresearch.com

[govindhtech]

Advanced ABCI 3.0 Supercomputer Increases AI Sovereignty

ABCI Supercomputer

Japan’s Advanced ABCI 3.0 Supercomputer Increases  AI Sovereignty. HPE built a new  AI supercomputer for AIST, one of the nation’s largest public research institutes, using hundreds of NVIDIA H200 GPUs and Quantum-2 InfiniBand.

NVIDIA H200

Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) will add thousands of NVIDIA H200 Tensor Core GPUs to its AI Bridging  Cloud Infrastructure 3.0 supercomputer. to boost AI sovereignty and R&D. HPE Cray XD will use NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking for performance and scalability.

ABCI 3.0, Japan’s latest Open AI Computing Infrastructure, promotes AI research and development. This partnership demonstrates Japan’s dedication to strengthening its technical independence and developing its AI capabilities.

ABCI

AIST Executive Officer Yoshio Tanaka stated, “They launched ABCI, the world’s first large-scale open  AI computing infrastructure, in August 2018.” “They’re upgrading to ABCI 3.0 now, building on their expertise operating ABCI over the past few years. Their goal is to transform ABCI 3.0 into a computer infrastructure that will help Japan’s generative AI research and development capabilities grow in partnership with NVIDIA.

“It’s imperative to quickly cultivate research and development capabilities within Japan as generative  AI prepares to catalyze global change,” stated Hirotaka Ogawa, Head of ABCI Operations at AIST Solutions Co. and Producer. “With their partnership with NVIDIA and HPE, Your that this significant upgrade of ABCI will strengthen the organization’s leadership in both domestic industry and academia, advancing Japan’s  AI development towards global competitiveness and acting as a cornerstone for future innovation.”

ABCI 3.0: Japanese AI Research and Development Enters a New Era

AIST, its corporate subsidiary AIST Solutions, and its system integrator Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) are responsible for building and running ABCI 3.0.

METI

The ABCI 3.0 project is a component of a larger $1 billion initiative by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, or METI, which includes both ABCI efforts and investments in cloud AI computing. METI has supported the project’s efforts to strengthen its computing resources through the Economic Security Fund.

Following a visit by company founder and CEO Jensen Huang last year, where he met with business and political heavyweights, including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, to explore the future of  AI, NVIDIA is closely partnering with METI on research and teaching.

NVIDIA’s Dedication to the Future of Japan

Huang promised to work with others on research, especially in the areas of robotics, quantum computing, and generative  AI. He also promised to invest in AI startups and offer product support, training, and education.

Huang stressed during his tour the importance of “AI factories,” which are next-generation data centers built to handle the most computationally demanding AI activities, in converting massive volumes of data into intelligence.

Huang declared, “The AI factory will become the bedrock of modern economies across the world,” in a December meeting with Japanese media. With its energy-efficient design and ultra-high-density data center, ABCI offers a reliable infrastructure for creating big data and  artificial intelligence applications.

By year’s end, the system should be operational and provide cutting-edge resources for  AI research and development. It will be located close to Tokyo in Kashiwa.

Superior Processing Speed and Effectiveness

The establishment will provide:

Six  AI exaflops, a measurement of AI-specific performance in the absence of sparsity 408 double-precision petaflops, a unit of measurement for overall computer power The Quantum-2 InfiniBand platform connects each node with a bisectional bandwidth of 200 GB/s.

The foundation of this effort is NVIDIA technology, with hundreds of nodes outfitted with eight NVLlink-connected H200 GPUs each, offering hitherto unheard-of computational performance and efficiency.

The first GPU to provide more than 140 GB of HBM3e memory at 4.8 terabytes per second (TB/s) is the NVIDIA H200. Larger and faster memory on the H200 allows for faster generative AI and LLMs, as well as more advanced scientific computing for HPC workloads with reduced total cost of ownership and improved energy efficiency.

For  AI workloads like LLM token creation, NVIDIA H200 GPUs are 15X more energy-efficient than ABCI’s previous-generation architecture.

The combination of cutting-edge NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand with In-Network computing, which offloads processing from the CPU to networking devices to perform data computations, guarantees effective, fast, low-latency communication essential for managing large datasets and demanding  AI tasks.

ABCI is a platform to expedite collaborative AI research and development with industry, academia, and governments. It has state-of-the-art computing and data processing capabilities.

METI’s significant investment demonstrates Japan’s strategic goal of boosting AI development capabilities and quickening the use of generative AI.

ABCI infrastructure

The advanced  cloud computing platform ABCI ( AI Bridging  Cloud Infrastructure) 3.0 aids  artificial intelligence research and development. Here are a few of ABCI 3.0‘s main attributes and advantages:

Principal Elements of High-Performance Computing (HPC)

Outfitted with cutting-edge GPUs and CPUs to deliver significant processing capability. suited for AI workloads, allowing for quicker machine learning model inference and training. Scalability. Able to flexibly scale resources in response to the demands of  AI workloads. Facilitates large-scale production deployments as well as small-scale trials.

Fast-Network

Makes use of high-speed networking technology to provide high throughput and minimal latency. Allows for the effective transport of data across computing nodes.

Energy Effectiveness

Energy-efficient parts were used in the design to reduce the environmental effect. uses sophisticated power management and cooling systems to cut down on energy use.

Interface That’s Easy to Use

Offers user-friendly APIs and interfaces that make resource management and access simple. Makes it available to academics and developers by supporting a variety of  AI frameworks and tools.

Advantages of Accelerated AI Research

Makes it possible for AI models to be trained, deployed, and prototyped quickly. Supports big datasets and intricate simulations, quickening the rate of advancement in  AI.

Expense-effectiveness

Provides a pay-as-you-go pricing structure that lets customers tailor expenses to their usage. Lessens the requirement for large initial hardware purchases.

Working Together and Sharing

Makes it easier for institutions and academics to collaborate by granting shared access to potent computer resources. Encourages cooperative research environments by supporting joint initiatives and data sharing.

Enhanced Protection

Puts strong security measures in place to safeguard confidential information and intellectual property. Offers encryption and safe access restrictions to guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of data.

ABCI 3.0’s main attributes and advantages

Provides thorough support and educational materials to enable customers to get the most out of the platform.

Offers technical support, courses, and documentation to help with optimization and troubleshooting.

With the capabilities and resources needed to promote  AI research and applications, ABCI 3.0 is a major improvement in cloud infrastructure designed with  AI in mind.

Read more on govindhtech.com

[snap-blogz]

Hewlett Packard's Acquiring Juniper Networks for $__ Billion?

In a significant development, reports suggest that Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is in advanced talks to acquire Juniper Networks for approximately $13 billion, marking a substantial move in the tech industry.

Strategic Acquisition for AI Advancements

The potential acquisition is seen as a strategic move by HPE to bolster its artificial intelligence (AI) offerings. Juniper Networks, known for its high-performance network solutions, including routing, switching, Wi-Fi, network security, AIOps, and SDN technologies, aligns with HPE's vision for growth in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Market Response and Financial Impact

As the news broke, Juniper Networks experienced a remarkable surge of over 20% in after-hours trading, indicating a positive market response to the potential deal. Conversely, HPE's shares witnessed a 7.7% decline during the same period. Juniper Networks, which faced challenges in 2023 with an 8% stock price decrease and a 1% revenue shrinkage in the third quarter, could see a transformative boost through integration with HPE. HPE's recent financial report highlighted a 2% revenue growth in the latest quarter, with the Intelligent Edge segment, encompassing data center switching, experiencing the fastest expansion. This aligns with the company's focus on challenging industry leader Cisco in the networking switches domain.

Background and Industry Dynamics

The reported deal comes at a time when HPE, formed in 2015 after the split from Hewlett-Packard, has been relatively cautious with acquisitions. The company's largest deal to date was the $1.5 billion acquisition of supercomputer maker Cray in 2019. The move to acquire Juniper Networks reflects HPE's strategic intent to solidify its position in the competitive networking equipment market.

What Lies Ahead

While HPE and Juniper Networks are yet to officially comment on the potential deal, the market anticipates an announcement in the coming week. If finalized, this acquisition could reshape the landscape of AI-driven technologies, positioning HPE as a key player in the evolving networking industry. In conclusion, the prospect of Hewlett Packard acquiring Juniper Networks for $13 billion signifies a significant shift in the tech industry, promising advancements in AI capabilities and strengthening HPE's foothold in the competitive networking market. As the details unfold, the market awaits the official announcement and the subsequent impact on both companies' trajectories. Read the full article

[wangwill66]

超級電腦

H：徐志摩稱數大便是美，個人電腦從中央處理器CPU16位元，到64位元，電腦所稱的X286，X386，X486，X586之後一直發展。公司的電腦發展到超級電腦是怎樣的光景?「特斯拉2022年有3台Dojo超級電腦，每秒處理40萬部影片容量高達30PB。」「美國橡樹嶺實驗的Frontier系統超越1exa Flops(100萬兆浮點)。」。「最強大的Fugaku (富岳)超級電腦。」特別查一查。20230914W4

維基百科介紹：

超級電腦，指能夠執行一般個人電腦無法處理的高速運算的電腦，規格與效能比個人電腦強大許多。現有的超級電腦運算速度大都可以達到每秒一兆次以上。「超級計算」這名詞第一次出現，是在1929年《紐約世界報》關於IBM為哥倫比亞大學建造大型制表機的報導。 維基百科

最強大的Fugaku (富岳)超級電腦。

非凡新聞台報導(20230914)：

特斯拉2022年有3台Dojo超級電腦，每秒處理40萬部影片容量高達30PB。

美國橡樹嶺實驗的Frontier系統超越1exa Flops(100萬兆浮點)。

網路資料

Dojo可開啟「全新的潛在市場」，就如同亞馬遜(Amazon.com Inc.)旗下的雲端運算服務子公司AWS。AWS目前為亞馬遜貢獻70%的息稅前利潤(EBIT)。

特斯拉的Dojo超級電腦由幾個「系統托盤」組成，採用該公司內部的D1晶片，這些晶片內置在機櫃中，然後合併成一個「ExaPOD」超級電腦。ExaPOD可以串聯在一起形成集群，使超級電腦更加強大。

維基百科介紹：

艾可薩（英語：exa-），又譯為艾，是一個國際單位制詞頭，符號E，代表1018倍。100萬兆，10的8次方是億，10的18次方是百萬兆。

十進位單位符號

詞冠符號10的因數petaP10的15次方teraT10的12次乡gigaG10的9次方megaM10的6次方

每秒浮點運算次數

每秒浮點運算次數，亦稱每秒峰值速度，（英語：Floating-point operations per second；縮寫：FLOPS），即每秒所執行的浮點運算次數。浮點（floating-point）指的是帶有小數的數值，浮點運算即是小數的四則運算

，常用來測量電腦運算速度或被用來估算電腦效能，尤其是在使用到大量浮點運算的科學計算領域中。因為FLOPS字尾的那個S代表秒，而不是複數，所以不能夠省略。在多��情況下，測算FLOPS比測算每秒指令數（IPS）要準確。

前沿 (超級電腦)

Frontier（OLCF-5）是由HPE Cray和AMD建造，託管於美國田納西州橡樹嶺國家實驗室的超級計算機，它基於Cray EX架構，是Summit（OLCF-4）的繼任者，也是全球首台百億億次級計算機[1]。2022年5月，Frontier獲得超級計算機運算速度全球排名第一名[2]。目前早期運營性能達到了每秒1.194百億億次每秒浮點運算次數（PFlop/s），其性能代表了整個榜單計算能力的四分之一，但該計算機尚未達到最佳優化，雖然已經超越百億億次目標但是未達到設計性能指標。

介紹

Frontier的設計目標計算性能是大於1.5 百億億每秒浮點運算次數（PFlop/s）[3][4]。預計成本6億美元。

Frontier計算系統被安裝在74個19英寸（48厘米）機櫃中，每個機櫃安裝了64個包含了2個節點的刀片服務器，每個節點帶有1個高性能和AI計算負載優化的AMD EPYC 7453s 64核CPU和4個AMD Radeon Instinct MI250X GPU 整套系統包括9,472個CPU和37,888個GPU，總計CPU內核數達606,208個，GPU內核數達8,335,360個[5]。現今Frontier的功率為22,703千瓦，為降低其在運行時產生的熱量，該系統配備水冷系統散熱，其水冷系統擁有四個大功率水泵，每分鐘可推動超過25噸水在機器周圍流動[1]。Frontier採用慧與科技子公司克雷公司開發的Cray OS做為作業系統。

橡樹嶺國家實驗室

橡樹嶺國家實驗室（英語：Oak Ridge National Laboratory，縮寫為ORNL）是美國能源部所屬的一個大型多學科研究國家實驗室[2]，位於田納西州橡樹嶺。此實驗室成立於1943年，最初是作為曼哈頓計劃的一部分，以生產和分離鈾和鈽為主要目的建造的，原稱克林頓實驗室。2000年4月以後由田納西大學和巴特勒紀念研究所（英語：Battelle Memorial Institute）共同管理。

拍字節PB

PB千兆位元組

單位位元的倍數

拍位元組（英語：Petabyte，縮寫為PB）（又稱千兆位元組）是一種資訊計量單位，現今通常在標示網路硬碟、伺服器農場總容量，或具有大容量的儲存媒介時使用。

Quick Facts 位元組的次方單位, 十進制前綴 (SI) ...

使用示例

在2009年，阿凡達3D版在維塔數碼使用超過1 PB來儲存。

Google的服務器集群於2004年時的估計容量大約是5.625 PB。

美國國會圖書館的書籍與非書籍藏品數量，於2005年的估計近似值大約是10 PB。

在2012年的8月，Facebook共使用約100 PB儲存空間。

2012年為止，人類生產的所有印刷材料的數據量是200PB。[1]

Google相簿在發布1年之後，2016年5月的統計為用戶節省共約13.7 PB的存儲空間[2]。

匯豐銀行儲存全球70個國家和地區，共3,700萬客戶的資料和交易紀錄，資料總量由2014年的56 PB，激增至2017年的93 PB[3]。

《微軟模擬飛行2020》的全球地景模擬系統資料庫約為2 PB。

與其他儲存單位的換算

1PB = 1,000TB = (10)3 TB

1PB = 1,000,000GB = (10)6 GB

1PB = 1,000,000,000MB = (10)9 MB

1PB = 1,000,000,000,000KB = (10)12 KB

1PB = 1,000,000,000,000,000B = (10)15 B

另外，Petabyte往往亦可以指Pebibyte，其換算公式是：

1PiB = 1,024 TiB

1PiB = 1,048,576GiB = (1024)2 GiB

1PiB = 1,073,741,824MiB = (1024)3 MiB

1PiB = 1,099,511,627,776KiB = (1024)4 KiB

1PiB = 1,125,899,906,842,624B = (1024)5 B

富岳 (超級計算機)

日本超級電腦

富岳（日語：富岳／ふがく Fugaku */?、英語：Supercomputer Fugaku）是富士通與日本理化學研究所共同開發的超級電腦，作為「京」的後繼機型。2014年開始研發，2021年正式啟用。[2]富岳部署在兵庫縣神戶市中央區港灣人工島上的理化學研究所計算科學研究中心內，其運算能力為京的100至120倍，耗電為30百萬瓦至40百萬瓦，京的耗電為12.7百萬瓦[3]。「富岳」是富士山的別稱[4]。

Quick Facts 啟用時間, 承建商 ...



京/富岳 - SC 18展覽會



PRIMEHPC FX1000 (富岳節點) - SC 19展覽會

富岳是全球首度奪冠的ARM架構超級電腦，採用富士通48核心A64FX SoC，與過往超級電腦大多採用的Intel或AMD的x86、x64主流平台不同。富岳共有158,976個節點，尖峰性能可達到1 exaFLOPS（1,000 petaFLOPS）。富岳除了在Linpack中拿到好成績，也在HPL-AI中獲得1.421 exaFLOPS。

2020年6月23日，富岳正式獲認證，以415 PFLOPS計算速度成為TOP500排名第一的超級電腦[5]。之後同年11月17日發表的TOP 500排行榜成功蟬聯第一[6]。

神戶新交通港灣人工島線的京電腦前站於2021年6月19日更名為計算科學中心站時，將副站名同時變更為『神戶動物王國・「富岳」前』，以紀念富岳取得TOP500排行第一[7][8][9]。

2023年5月22日，日本東京工業大學、富士通、理化學研究所和東北大學宣布將利用「富岳」於研發日語生成式AI[10]。

徐志摩

數大便是美，碧綠的山坡前幾千隻綿羊，挨成一片的雪絨，是美； 一天的繁星，千萬隻閃亮的眼神，從無極的藍空中下窺大地，是美； 泰山頂上的雲海，巨萬的雲峰在晨光裏靜定著，是美； 大海萬頃的波浪，戴著各式的白帽，在日光裏動盪著，起落著，是美； 愛爾蘭附近的那個羽毛島上棲著幾千萬的飛禽， 夕陽西沉時只見一個羽化的

CPU中央處理器

蘋果電腦開始轉而採用英特爾x86處理器，2020年蘋果推出自家中央處理器M1，蘋果採用ARM架構並且CPU+GPU+RAM做在同一顆晶片。

CPU（如16，32，64甚至128位），

[whiteda]

Weather Predictions 2023: How Technology is Enhancing Accuracy

Weather Forcasting App

1. High-Performance Computing: Unleashing Computational Power

The power of high-performance computing (HPC) equipment is the driving force behind current weather forecasting techniques. These supercomputers, each of which is equipped with enormous processing capabilities, take in enormous amounts of data in order to simulate complex models of the atmosphere. In the year 2023, supercomputers such as IBM Blue Gene and Cray XC series have made it possible for meteorological agencies to run complex simulations with an unparalleled degree of accuracy and speed.

Improved Resolution and Precision:

The resolution of weather models may be improved by increasing the amount of computer power available. Meteorologists are now able to simulate more intricate aspects of the weather, such as regionalized wind patterns, thunderstorms, and microclimates, because to the increased computer resources at their disposal. This increased degree of specificity helps to promote more accurate predictions that are targeted to certain locations. This is an invaluable tool for a wide range of businesses, including agriculture, transportation, and emergency management.

2. Earth Observation Satellites: A New Dimension of Data

The use of satellite technology, which provides real-time insights into the atmosphere of the Earth, has propelled the meteorological field to new heights. Modern weather satellites are outfitted with state-of-the-art sensors that enable them to precisely monitor a wide range of climatic variables, such as temperature and humidity, as well as wind speed and cloud cover. These satellites, which fly in a variety of orbits, offer coverage for the whole planet and enable meteorologists to investigate and forecast global weather trends.

In the year 2023, a component that has emerged as a game-changing element in weather forecasting is the amalgamation of data from a wide variety of satellite sources. Meteorologists are able to create a detailed and accurate picture of the atmosphere by combining the information they get from sensors located on the ground, in geostationary orbit, and in polar orbit. This synergy makes it easier to understand the complex relationships that are behind many weather events.

3 Predictive Analytics:

The ability to accurately forecast the weather has received a significant upgrade because of the incorporation of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). In order to discover patterns and connections, these technologies conduct a painstaking analysis of massive datasets that include historical weather patterns, satellite observations, and a variety of other sources.

As a direct consequence of this, meteorologists now have the ability to make more accurate forecasts, which are supported by the examination of complex linkages that are often missed by conventional models.

Short-Term Forecasting:

In the year 2023, machine learning algorithms are beginning to play an increasingly important part in the enhancement of short-term weather predictions. These algorithms continually learn from their environments by seeing them in real time, which allows them to dynamically adjust their models. Because of this agility, AI-powered systems are able to identify sudden changes in the weather, such as the quick development of thunderstorms, and provide early notifications to areas that are at risk.

4. Doppler Radar and Remote Sensing Techniques: Peering Inside Storms

There has been a substantial amount of development in the use of Doppler radar, which is essential for the monitoring and forecasting of severe weather occurrences. In the year 2023, advancements in Doppler radar technology allow for a greater grasp of the patterns of precipitation that occur during storms. Meteorologists are able to precisely predict the possibility of severe weather events such as hailstorms, strong rainfall, and even tornadoes by analyzing the movement and strength of individual raindrops and ice particles.

Improved Severe Weather Warnings:

Meteorologists now have access to real-time information that sheds light on the interior structure of storms because of improvements in radar systems. This richness of information is the foundation for the delivery of accurate and timely warnings for the occurrence of severe weather occurrences. As a direct result of this, communities are given more time to make preparations and take the necessary safeguards in the face of looming challenges.

5. High-Resolution Weather Models: Navigating Microclimates

In the year 2023, high-resolution weather models will be used to overcome the deficiencies of conventional weather models in terms of their ability to properly capture fluctuations in the microclimate. These models are able to provide accurate predictions of circumstances at the local scale because they use smaller grid sizes and integrate data from a wide variety of sources. This improvement is essential for fields such as urban planning, agriculture, and reaction to natural disasters.

In metropolitan regions, where local elements, such as buildings and roads, as well as heat emissions, have a significant impact on weather patterns, the relevance of high-resolution weather models is enhanced. In this sense, these models make it easier to forecast phenomena such as urban heat islands and localized heavy rains, which in turn strengthens the infrastructure planning and management process.

Conclusion

Given the current trend of technological development, it is likely that the accuracy of weather forecasts will continue to improve. The field of meteorology has entered a new era as a result of the converging technologies of high-performance computers, satellite technology, machine learning, and radar systems. In the year 2023, meteorologists have access to a powerful toolkit that enables them to decipher the subtle complexities of the Earth's atmosphere. These technological breakthroughs not only lead to more accurate weather predictions but also help people become more prepared and more resilient in the face of ever-changing weather patterns.

Reference

#2023 #Weather #Predictions #Technology

#Enhancing Weather #Accuracy 2023

#Impact of #Technology on Weather #Forecasting

[mcgravin]

(this post from @foone​ got me thinking about a post I had been working on and saved in drafts, so I finished it up and here it is)

Thinking about the current discourse around AI—generative art trained on people's copyrighted works, ChatGPT writing essays for high school students, the hilarious failure of Bing's AI chatbot assistant, and on and on—and it made me want to go back and read one of the classics of scifi about AI, Asimov's short story ["The Last Question"](http://users.ece.cmu.edu/~gamvrosi/thelastq.html). I want to look back on this story as a time capsule of what we knew computers and AI could be at the time it was written. Spoilers below for a 67 year old scifi short story; go read it first, it's pretty good!

[image ID: the cover of Science Fiction Quarterly, November 1956, featuring "The Last Question" by Isaac Asimov; the image on the cover is of a man standing in front of a landed rocket and wearing a red, military-style uniform and interesting helmet, clutching a ray gun that seems inspired by the Thompson submachine gun, looking over his shoulder at a group of "tribal" looking native aliens with yellow-green skin; I interpret the man's expression as a sneer of disgust or possibly suspicion]

I hadn't read it in a while, but it's one of my favorites. I remember the broad arc of the story, but not specific details. So the second paragraph really threw me for a loop:

> Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov were two of the faithful attendants of Multivac. As well as any human beings could, they knew what lay behind the cold, clicking, flashing face -- miles and miles of face -- of that giant computer. They had at least a vague notion of the general plan of relays and circuits that had long since grown past the point where any single human could possibly have a firm grasp of the whole.

Let's break that down, keeping in mind that the start of the story is set in May, 2061, almost 40 years from now: 1. The computer* Multivac has attendant*s* (multiple). 2. It has a "face" (the interface, presumably) that is "miles and miles" long and is "giant", so we can conclude that the body of the computer is likely the size of a building and occupies an entire warehouse-sized space if not multiple warehouses. 3. It's largely composed of relays (explaining why it's described as "clicking").

(* From this description, along with the story's description of its abilities, Multivac would probably be considered a supercomputer, but supercomputing wasn't really a well-known concept until the first supercomputers were built in early 1960s, so Asimov very plausibly wouldn't have known the term. Compare the description of Multivac with the fastest modern supercomputer, Frontier, built by HPE Cray and AMD at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Frontier occupies seventy-four 19-inch server rack cabinets, giving it a "face" of probably a bit more than 120 feet.)

From this, it seems clear that even in the world of speculative fiction, someone as forward thinking as Asimov had not yet foreseen the explosive potential of the transistor to miniaturize computers. In fact, I at first wondered if he would have even been particularly aware of the discovery of the transistor*, since it had only been proposed as a concept in 1926 and the first working example was created in 1947. In an amusing coincidence, the story was published in Nov 1956, just barely more than a month before the 1956 Nobel Prize would be awarded in December to the Bell Labs team that created that first working transistor. It would still be 9 years yet until Moore's Law would be posited in 1965.

(* Just as an aside, he does mention transistors in the story, exactly once. After the first section of the story taking place in May 2061, each section jumps forward in time. The second section takes place an unspecified number of years further in the future, when mankind can travel through hyperspace to colonize new worlds. The story says "In place of transistors, had come molecular valves so that even the largest Planetary AC could be put into a space only half the volume of a spaceship.", so Asimov acknowledges the transistor and discards it all in one breath, and computers are still massive things.)

Bringing this back to the starting point, all of this has me thinking about the oncoming tidal wave of AI and wondering where our predictive gaps are in guessing exactly how extensively AI is going to totally disrupt work, the economy, politics, society, and just day to day life in general. Is quantum computing the modern equivalent of the transistor? As it stands, it's currently right on that cusp between scifi and reality—in limited use, but largely still under research and not yet anywhere near the potential we've been able to predict—like the transistor was in '56. Or will it be some other technology we haven't even considered?

[theeleventhsignofthezodiac]

[drawing079]

Exception On Line 129

Chapter 6: Ephialtes Interlude

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

A Human AU SCP-079 x SCP-682 Fanfic

Warnings: Violence, Alcoholism, Brain damage/trauma, Police brutality, Sexual content

Description: Zero is a reclusive computer science major, floating by in college with the help of vodka by his side. His only human interaction seems to be from his distant father, who abandoned him as a child but now is trying to make a bit of effort to be back in his life. And after a failed virus he sends to a Cray supercomputer gets exposed, he is forced to pay for the consequences of his cyber crimes in more ways than one.

During an unnecessarily violent arrest, he suffers a brain injury and anterograde amnesia, damaging his short-term memory. But during his time detained, he meets a violent man with an infamous short-temper, who takes a surprising interest in him.

(Read it here on Ao3 or continue below)

Exception On Line 129: Ephialtes Interlude

Most people know their body and sleep patterns well enough, that they can predict certain things. Maybe they know what will make them sleepwalk, or give them nightmares. Maybe they know how to wake themselves up from a bad dream, or fall asleep within minutes of deciding it’s time for bed.

Zero never understood people who were really in tune to their sleep like that. Although he was broadly categorized as an insomniac, he learned that he could sometimes invite sleep sooner with a few shots of vodka. Or, it would keep him up later by encouraging him to have another round, but it wasn’t consistent which way the night would swing when he went to pour one out. However, if there was one thing Zero could guarantee about his sleep, it was that he got wet dreams when he was stressed.

Embarrassing, but true. Maybe it was his subconscious way of coping with stress. Makes sense why when he has a bad day nothing takes the edge off more than a night of drinks and going home with a stranger.

But, somehow, tonight’s dream was way more vivid than the usual.

The first part of the dream that really started being memorable was Numin pushing him aggressively up against a wall.

The room was dim and cold, and so was the wall behind him, but Zero’s lips were locked with Numin’s, and their bodies pressed up against each other provided a sweltering heat that kept him warm.

The place was familiar, and the second Zero spared a thought about it he realized they were in his apartment. Or maybe their apartment? It felt like they lived together in this dream.

Broad, strong hands slid over his slender waist, teasing him as they stopped at his hip bones, and with a yearning whine Zero pressed his pelvis forward to invite those wandering hands behind him. With a dark chuckle, Numin pulled his tongue out of Zero’s mouth for a split moment, so he could watch his face as he aggressively grabbed his ass with both hands.

With a delight groan, Zero arched back into his grip, throwing his head back ever-so-slightly to ravish the feeling.

The hands underneath kept a firm cup under his bottom, and in a sudden motion Zero felt himself hoisted up, which he greeted with a short gasp of pleasant surprise. Almost naturally, his legs came up to wrap around Numin’s waist, steadying himself by a needy grasp encircling the larger man’s neck for support. Upon looking up, he saw some of the glint of light barely filtering into the room hit the bright canines of Numin’s devious smirk.

Something about the way his teeth glistened threateningly felt as if Zero couldn’t tell if Numin was going to kiss into his neck or rip out his jugular between his incisors.

And before he could predict which one it would be, the beast rushed forward to devour his prey, and Zero couldn’t help the little noises escaping his throat as he felt those dangerous teeth leave a certainly inhibited bite on the skin between his neck and shoulder.

The idea of wearing a scarf of delicious bruises and hickeys from Numin’s mouth made his hip buck forward, grinding down on the man he was wrapped around. Almost as a reward, he felt himself rub over something firm and prominent, albeit muted from the barriers of fabric between them.

Eager to make his own excitement be known as well, Zero gave a rolling arch of his back, allowing his own erection to rub up against Numin‘s. And almost as if rewarding him, Numin gave a fervent suck of the stolen flesh between his teeth, not ceding until it tinged with a reddish hue. The tangible formation of that hickey made Zero whine needily under his mouth, only encouraging Numin’s ego.

Upon drawing back to admire his own work, he saw Zero’s mouth agape in carnal delight, and pale face flushed into a rouge hue. Heaving, still enraptured by the fresh bruises blessing his neck, Zero licked his bottom lip at him, carefully pushing the ring around it suggestively.

Entertaining him, the larger man tightened his grip around Zero, before pulling his hips down against his own to grind up into them. It earned a desperate cry from the smaller man, but he was in the mood to hear more from him than just incomprehensible noises.

“Say my name.” He commanded, voice husky and laced with an obvious note of his own enrapturement. The way that voice commanded the air sent a wave of goosebumps sailing over Zero’s skin, intoxicated by his deep and velvety tones.

Eager to comply, Zero’s mouth opened on a moan, ready to put his name on his lips-- until, he realized, he didn’t know his name.

A sudden embarrassed panic dropped in his chest, and he hoped it was too dark for the man to make out the obvious perturbation in his face. How could he forget the name of a man like this?

“Zero. My name, say my name.” The voice commanded again, although less commanding and more… monotone, this time. Like the texture of his vocal cords was getting lost in Zero’s fragmented memory.

“I-I don’t know, it doesn’t matter…” huffing, feeling the spike of adrenaline in his blood, he tried to wave it off and continue on with the more sexy details.

Until those details weren’t there anymore. The hands on him stopped feeling hot, or even warm. It was getting too dark to even distinguish anything but a silhouette of the man before him.

What happened to the details?

“What’s my name? What’s my name, Zero?” This time the voice wasn’t just monotone, it was borderline inhuman. Like a bird spitting out sounds that it didn’t understand, mimicking words in pseudo-speech that treaded into the uncanny valley.

Regretting his position against the wall, Zero had no room to distance himself and he meekly unhooked his legs from the strange figure, stumbling a bit on his feet as he squeak back, “I-I’m sorry, I don’t know--”

The place where those hands made contact with him had noticeably lost its warmth; the man’s skin felt like ice, almost as if he had become a corpse. The creature holding onto him wasn’t even human at this point. The noises out its mouth were merging words like one big stream of sound, spitting out gibberish that was only vaguely understandable.

“My name, what’s my name? What’s my name, name, name? Zero, what’s my name? Name? What’s my name?”

Like a horrible interlude, it began just making noisy lip smacks and pops, like the mouth around those words were melting as it spoke, and it needed practice with it to accommodate. It babbled like its tongue was sticking to the roof of its mouth, like it was speaking with a gloopy mouth full of peanut butter. The outline of the figure got fuzzy, alike to the blurry details in a dark black-and-white photo or an out-of-focus polaroid, walking the line between being something to being nothing. Staring at the supposed edge of the silhouette didn’t help either, as it continuously yet slowly distorted beneath the gaze, at a rate slow enough that the perception felt more like vertigo than a sincere deformation of the figure. The growing pit at the bottom of Zero’s stomach twisted in nausea the longer he tried to discern its shape, dread swelling up in his chest and settling in all the wrong places.

He didn’t just forget the name; Zero couldn’t even remember the face of who that creature was supposed to represent, and that failure of his memory reflected back to him through this eldritch simulacrum. Before him was the culmination of every vague and forgotten information lost from the individual it once represented. The silhouette was ever-changing, yet remaining a looming dark mass. The details of color, shape, or likeness had melted into the backdrop of darkness around it, and its only dimensional consistency was its lack thereof.

Worse yet, the simulacrum continued its mockery of speech once it had adjusted to its malformed mouth.

“What is my name. What is my name. What is my name—“

To call it a voice was unfitting, the words lacked any nature in their cords that could lead Zero to believe a living creature was making them. Even trying to imagine it was a creature producing them tinged the presence of metal in Zero’s mouth. The simulacrum, this vile ephialtes invading his consciousness, spoke so uncanny that its words were stuck echoing in his ears, as if the garbled voice was ricocheting inside his own head.

“I don’t know! Just stop, please just stop…” Voice straining against the thick suffocating air, they sounded almost mute compared to the insistent repetition of the simulacrum.

Then, as if the world was pulled out from under him, he felt a sudden drop out of this horrific rendition of reality, snapping back into the real world with such a speed that it felt like conscious whiplash.

Startled, he jumped, and in that moment he recognized the departure out of dreamland and into his body. Even though the sheets around him were light and airy, his skin felt hot and damp, and the first thing he became aware of was his sweat mending his back to the fabric beneath him.

The lights were dimmed. It was the middle of the night according to the plain white clock ticking softly above the door, contesting with his heart rate monitor between being the only noises in the room. Yet, their off-sync tempos almost made it seem as though they were complementary, somehow adding calmness to the room. Or, perhaps anything compared to that nightmare seemed like the epitome of tranquility.

Confused, he checked his hand, and surely enough noticed his IV line was taped back upon the poor vein it has been yanked from one too many times. And next to the IV printed in neat lettering was a name: Numin.

A sigh of relief escaped at the recognition of that name.

He was so certain he had forgotten. Actually, even now, he can’t remember the last interaction he had with Numin. After freeing himself from his medical shackles and shuffling over with a grace that rivals a toddler learning to walk, Zero didn’t remember much besides kissing his roommate.

A sudden color tinged his pale cheeks.

They kissed. That much, Zero is certain of-- even though his memory after said kiss got very butchered afterwards. On top of that, beside the certainty of said kiss existing, he was also positive that it was Numin who had grasped his hospital gown and pulled him down into it.

The color on his face intensified, waxing with every second he spent dwelling on that memory.

They hadn’t just kissed; Numin instigated the kiss.

However, like a dismal cliffhanger at the end of a fantastic season finale, Zero drew a blank on what exactly happened next. Hell, he couldn’t even remember returning to bed and falling asleep. Did they spend the time fondly cuddling and sharing intimate thoughts on hushed, quiet breaths between themselves? Did they continue making out, before not really feeling into it and learning they didn’t have as much of a spark as once thought? Did they just flat out have sex last night?

Anything was on the table at this point, and Zero was prepared to play this scavenger hunt with his own memories. After all, it would be quite embarrassing to wake Numin-- whom Zero could tell was fast asleep from his sporadic snoring across the room-- and ask him what happened. Not only would it be embarrassing on Zero’s part, but what if his lack of recall of a potentially fond and intimate moment was a red flag to Numin that’ll make him recede his interest in a fresh amnesiac?

Sitting up, slow enough in case Numin was a light sleeper, Zero brought his hand up to the faint glow of the heart rate monitor to examine the IV line.

Despite the darkness of the room, the dim monitor light was just enough illumination to realize he didn’t even have the IV line in. Rather, it looked as if the medical tape was just tape back over the vein to hold the line in place, leading Zero to the relieving conclusion that a nurse hadn’t come in and interrupted them. Instead, it appears Zero himself probably taped the line down and planned on pretending to a nurse in the morning that it had fallen out of the vein during the night. After all, he didn’t have the original needle to insert the IV tube, and probably wouldn’t have the best idea on doing it both safely and believably.

Even though it was the plan of a forgotten consciousness, a soft smirk of pride ghosted his lips at the idea of taping the IV line down. Or perhaps, maybe he was just retrospectively grateful his former self even put an effort to hide the freed IV line at all, for Zero could completely see himself having a steamy night with an interesting man and going to bed without a care how conspicuous he appeared the following morning, consequences be damned. Said consequences would without doubt be sharing Numin’s state of handcuffed confinement, although unlike him Zero would sooner break his own wrist before successfully breaking out any cuffs.

Disrupting the line of thought to continue his own self-detective work, Zero carried on.

It only took an exploring hand snaking into his gown to tell that the stickers holding the heart sensors were also inexpertly returned to his chest. So more or less, he was checking all the boxes to at least appear at a glance like he had spent the whole night in his bed.

Now that he had confirmed his former consciousness had already established his alibi, his efforts redirected to figuring out what exactly happened after their kiss. Lucky for him-- although not as lucky for his liver-- Zero has had plenty of experiences deciphering a night he doesn’t remember from all the countless times he’s gotten blackout drunk.

If there was anyone who would probably make a good amnesiac detective, it was Zero. That or every morning-after hangover investigation he had ever done would have all been in vain.

There was a bathroom door in the room, on the far side closer to Numin’s bed. If he could make it there, he could check if maybe he had a hickey or two that’ll allude to what he and Numin was up to a few hours prior.

Zero couldn’t help a little smirk at the thought. After all, maybe Numin finally put those dangerous teeth to use.

Aside from a sly bite of his lip, exciting himself at his own thoughts, he made an effort to try and not let himself get carried away by his suggestive imagination.

Once again, he undid the taping on his hand to detach himself from the IV, and peeled off the sensors from his chest with a bit more care than his haphazard yank earlier. After pushing back the sheets that freely crinkled noisily amidst his stealth, Zero stole another glance up towards Numin, confirming he was still deep in sleep whilst he pushed smoothly off the bed.

Or at least, as smooth as he could over his still unadjusted feet. There were a few patters as he calibrated himself, the balls of his feet meeting the floor and dancing his weight back and forth between the two as if they just weren't landed on the floor quite right, before the muscles of his legs finally all synced together and kept him steady without feeling the need to constantly shift his weight. The sensation of jelly in his legs didn’t go away, but at this point it wouldn’t be a shocker if his head injury was compounding with his lack of coordination. Nevertheless, feet ready to be walking or not, Zero made his way towards the bathroom door as softly as he could to remain quiet.

Embarrassingly enough, the lack of adjustment showed in his gait, as it swayed unsteady and borderline on a stumble at points before evening out as best Zero could manage. Perhaps, what with his lack of an audience it was only embarrassing for himself, but it still brought a sensation of heat to his cheeks that made him that much more cautious to not wake Numin.

But somehow his feet still found it’s way guiding him to the bathroom door, even if he walked with about as much confidence as a newborn deer. There was an auditable sigh of relief upon reaching the door, and completely ignoring the loud creak it made on its hinges, he hurried inside and flicked on the light.

The sudden brightness made him recoil, hands reflexively coming up to shield his unprepared eyes. After a series of squints and blinks, the room became perceivable, albeit a lackluster view what with the bland setup. The walls were a simple powered blue, and the sink and toilet the same porcelain white. Adjacent to the mirror above the sink was an automatic soap dispenser, the kind Zero remembers seeing at shops or restaurants bathrooms, generic for commercial use.

When his eyes laid on his own reflection, he gave a meek whimper at his face.

Adorning one side were the dark blots of bruises, discolored with greenish hues to suggest they were days old, trailing over the cheek of the side the cop had kicked mercilessly, and fading off slightly over his brow. Zero often had bags with his chaotic sleep schedule, but the dark puffiness beneath the eye on the more abused side looked much different than under-eye circles, instead it was more rounded and shiny in appearance. Never having a black eye before in his life, it almost turned his stomach to see one on his own face, even if one so minor in comparison to ones he’s seen on people before.

The gauze around his head was wrapped expertly and tight, with particularly thick padding above that sore spot on his head that wouldn’t stop throbbing. Worst yet, perhaps exacerbated by his recent activity, there was a tinge of bleed-through coloring the thick padding over his head injury, suggesting he had reopened the wound.

Lastly, and probably just as disheartening as the rest of his appearance, he bore no hickeys or bite marks over his neck. But after taking in his own reflection Zero almost doesn’t even blame Numin; he looked so battered and frail that it was no wonder the nurse was surprised he had woken from his coma so soon; it almost looked as if he had no right waking from his coma at all.

A dark, dismal drop sank deep into his hollow chest. He wasn’t in any state that even remotely screamed desirable. And while that was a silly thing to be worrying about at the moment, it was a major clue that things probably didn’t go anywhere exciting last night with Numin.

In all honesty, Zero was surprised he was even interested in him enough to kiss him.

Dejected, and a bit over this whole detective game, he shuffled out of the bathroom pitifully, hunched over and over wishing he hadn’t gotten out of his bed to begin with. Yet, to his even sadder surprise, Numin appeared roused awake upon his exit from the bathroom.

Even though the half-lidded look upon his face suggested the lingering presence of sleep, Numin still offered a single raised brow at Zero, a silent question to what he was up to in the dead of night.

“Ah, I didn’t mean to wake you.” He offered sheepishly, almost phrased like an apology. Compared to only hours before, his demeanor had noticeably repressed, not even offering eye contact as he kept his downcast gaze locked on the powered blue vinyl lining the floor below.

“Doesn’t take much to stir me.” With a casual stretch, Numin replied with a cloudy tone, sleep still overtly overcasting his newfound wakefulness. “Can’t sleep very well? You don’t look rested.”

Offering a half-hearted shrug, Zero shifted to leaned against the closed door of the bathroom, having a bad feeling this wasn’t going to be a short conversation.

“I slept some, just had a bad dream,” with a nod towards the bathroom he came from, he elaborated, “I figured I haven’t seen myself in the mirror since the incident so I got up to check.”

The delivery was shallow, as if meant to hide the deeper disturbance Zero held underneath to seeing his reflection. Enough so that Numin could note it, knitting his brow at the smaller man slouching meekly against the bathroom door, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Don’t like what you see?” Guessing, Numin straightened up, seemingly more alert at the notice of Zero’s perturbation.

Unintentionally confirming, he slouched in even more, wishing the darkness of the room was enough to hide his marred features.

“Nah, I’m absolutely thrilled with the bruised and bloody look.” Zero retorted, voice with a backbone of sarcasm, yet delivery surely missing a few vertebrae.

The corner of Numin’s lips just barely peaked, gauging the jest as a good sign. “You’re in the hospital for a traumatic brain injury and currently being detained for a felony cyber crime. But sure, your swollen eye is definitely your biggest problem right now.”

Reflexively at those words, Zero folded his arms around his chest tight, unintentionally emphasizing his thin, fragile-looking frame.

“I’m not saying it’s my biggest problem. It’s just, I’m not exactly the fighting type, so this look is just…” hissing, as if he was trapped into finishing the sentence now, Zero struggled to pin down the correct adjective,“...it is just unsettling, to me.”

His anxieties were only met by a deep, reverberating chuckle from the larger man, who only seemed amused. “Guess I’m just used to seeing people bruised and bloody.” Numin shrugged before looking up, but upon noticing the red glow of embarrassment adorning Zero’s face, a deep part of him stirred in discomfort.

Before he had even realized, his tone took on a much different tenor as new words suddenly found their way on his tongue, that deep part of him yearning to diminish that disheartened look on Zero.

“The black eye will fade in about a week and a half. And your bruising has already turned green so I’d give it another five days, seven tops.” Huffing out a sigh, feeling that deep part of himself settle, Numin offered another ever-so-slight peak of the corners of his lips before finishing. “You’re fine, Zero.”

Blinking thrice, Zero found himself taken aback.

“Th… thanks. That’s good to hear the worst of it should subside in a week.”

If Zero didn’t know any better, he would have guessed that was Numin’s best efforts at trying to comfort him. At least, it would seem that way in his delivery, but such an assumption would be a bit brash to make with a seemingly heartless individual like him. Or perhaps there was a heart in there, somewhere deep and hidden as to not invite harm, that Numin kept guarded ferociously lest he be taken advantage of.

Zero had to wonder if he was born so abrasive or if it was learned, like a defense mechanism. And he couldn’t lie; he also wondered what was so different in himself that Numin cared not to bare his teeth and intimidate him, like he seems to do to all others who dare interact with him.

Shrugging off the wall, Zero took a few idle steps forward.

“Or at least the worst appearance-wise should clear up, that is. I’m honestly not sure about my memory, though.” On finishing, he was just about at the foot of Numin’s bed, and he extended both hands down on the plastic baseboard to lean in a bit. “If I’m being honest… I can’t even remember what happened between us earlier tonight.”

Although his body language was noticeably less embarrassed, there was an obvious shame in Zero’s expression, and he bit absently at his lower lip as if his lip ring was still present to fidget with.

Numin’s brow peaked up.

“You don’t remember anything?” Stiffening up, Numin tried to ignore that deep part of him festering once more, sitting like a weight at the bottom of his throat. Swallowing didn’t help; it only made the heavy sensation more vivid. “Do you remember my name, Zero?”

He pretended that he didn’t notice Zero’s mouth twitch into a momentarily frown, before his jaw noticeably clenched to keep himself leveled.

“When… When I woke up, I didn’t.” Woefully, he raised his right hand, and gave a tap to the name still penned on the back of it. With what could only be described as a pitiful smile, he assured Numin, “I did remember where to find it, though.”

Releasing a controlled sigh, Numin accepted those words as enough for him.

“But a few hours ago? Nothing?” The inquiry held an awful weight in those words, one that Numin wasn’t bothering to hide.

Clicking his tongue, Zero’s gaze wandered up momentarily, as if testing his own recall.

“I remember what the nurse said, about you attacking your previous roommates. And that you offered a trust-fall exercise to show you weren’t a threat to me.” The pale color of his face reddened slightly, and Numin noticed his gaze was now more purposely avoiding his own as he continued, “I-I went over to your bed, and… w-we…”

“We kissed.” Numin finished for him. An uncharacteristically soft smile graced Numin’s features in response to how bashful Zero had become, knowing well it wasn’t the amnesia that was holding Zero back from completing his sentence.

Rewardingly so, he watched as Zero sighed in relief, as if he had been self-doubting if the memory was even real.

“Y-yes, we kissed. But, after that, I-I’m not all too sure what we did…” trailing off, Zero’s eyes kept low to avoid contact with Numin’s, but his diffidence wasn't about to be coddled and catered to by the other man.

“We didn’t fuck if that’s what you’re asking.” Numin supplemented, albeit delivered with a grin of jest. Part of it was just to take delight in watching Zero’s face immediately flush and redden, but a sliver of it was indeed meant to clarify.

And redden he did, almost instantaneously feeling the heat rush to his cheeks. Yet watching Numin subtly smirk at the rise he got out of him, Zero felt the need to justify himself.

“No, no of course not. After all, it’s not like I woke up sore or bleeding down there or anything--” Cutting himself off, Zero realized his insinuation exposed his typical role in the bedroom, and although it didn’t take a lot of detective work for Numin to figure that one out, Zero still found himself somehow even more embarrassed by the second. Which only served to widen Numin’s already entertained smirk.

“For shame, Zero! Give me more credit than that.” Brazen, but still maintaining an atmosphere of jest, Numin continued with a cocky grin, “I would never prepare a partner so half-heartedly that they bleed from being with me. Or hell, even feel sore.”

“I-I didn’t mean to insinuate, I-I’m just used to—“

“Used to tops that don’t know what they’re doing? Come on Zero, you don’t need to put up with that.”

Zero gave a meek shrug, before slouching into himself.

“I know, I-I know… but I’m used to it, it’s not a big deal.” He leaned off the baseboard, and stepped around it to sit at the foot of Numin’s bed before continuing. “Besides, it already comes with the territory that it’s gonna hurt a little bit each time.”

This time Numin scoffed a bit, seemingly a little less entertained and a bit more irritated at whoever convinced Zero that anal sex was doomed to always hurt a bit. Surely a former sex partner, to excuse their own laziness or inexperience; or at least, Numin guessed so.

“I’m telling you, it really doesn’t have to.” The slight irritation in his tone almost immediately waned upon seeing Zero’s worried gaze up at him, and instead Numin found himself forming his next words before a devilish smirk even had time to grow on his lips. “Still don’t believe me? Oh Zero, don’t make me prove it to you.”

Immediately, the lewd suggestion earned a flustered squeak of surprise from the very much embarrassed Zero.

The amount of blood rushing to his face looked enough to cause a faint, what with the bright vermillion glow his naturally pale skin bloomed with. So much, in fact, that Numin almost expected him to swoon— in the quite literal sense of fainting, that is. It wasn’t as if a man as thin and lithe as Zero exactly had so much blood to spare to bring with.

“P-prove what—?” Finally managing to stutter out a line, Zero looked as if he didn’t believe what Numin just suggested. Perhaps in his already sensitive and embarrassed state it wasn’t the right atmosphere to pose such an offer, but Numin couldn’t lie that it was quite cute to watch his sarcastic demeanor wither away into endearing bashfulness.

Numin caught himself thinking that word again. Cute.

It was surprising how much Zero drew that word into his head.

“So coy all of a sudden, hm? Do I need to be more direct?” Leaning in, confined by his shackled wrist from getting too close, his face still managed to be only a foot or two away from Zero’s. In his pause, he noticed that despite his blush, Zero leaned in towards him reciprocally, as if awaiting in bated breath for his continuation, sealing Numin’s confidence in what he planned to say next.

“Do you want to fuck me, Zero?”

Eyes immediately widening, Zero’s mouth parted momentarily as if the words got stuck in his throat. In those bright green irises pooled a storm of different emotions, all too intertwined to differentiate, but each playing a role in the dumbfounded look on his face.

No words. No reply. No nothing.

Numin, still smirking, was almost about to poke fun at his sudden stupor until Zero leaned in fast, crashing his lips onto his own hungerly.

And, pushing back into the kiss once he realized what was happening, Numin heard Zero’s non-verbal response. He heard it in the way Zero’s tongue slipped into his mouth, and in the way his slender hand found hold onto his shoulder. He heard it in the feel of Zero’s back arching slightly towards him, he heard it through the muffled groan released against his lips.

Zero’s whole body was practically screaming one word.

Yes, yes, yes.

[govindhtech]

Dell and Intel: Immersion Cooling for Green Computing

Immersion Cooling: What Is It?

The next chapter in liquid cooling

Immersion cooling, also known as liquid submersion cooling, is the process of immersing entire servers or computer components in a liquid that conducts heat but not electricity.

This creative method of cooling servers or IT gear eliminates the need for fans, and the heat exchange between the cool water circuit and warm coolant typically takes place via a heat exchanger, such as a radiator or heater core.

Several Cray-2 and Cray T90 extreme-density supercomputers remove heat using sizable liquid-to-chilled heat exchangers. In this instance, the fluid used needs to have a low enough electrical conductivity to prevent interference with the computer’s regular operation. It might be essential to insulate specific areas of components that are vulnerable to electromagnetic interference, like the CPU, if the fluid has some electrical conductivity. It is preferred to use dielectric fluid for these reasons.

What are the Different Types of Immersion Cooling?

The use of immersion cooling in one phase

Single-phase coolant is a liquid that never boils or freezes and never changes its state. Heat is transferred from a cooler water circuit to a heat exchanger via the pumping of coolant.

Since there is little to no chance of the coolant evaporating, this method makes use of open baths.Image credit to submer

Immersion Cooling in Two Phases Also known as flow boiling or evaporative cooling

The working fluid in two-phase cooling can be in either a liquid or gaseous state. This technique makes use of the idea of latent heat, which states that heat energy is needed to alter a fluid’s state. Once the working fluid reaches its boiling point, it is cooled and stays at this saturation temperature. The working fluid receives energy from the heat source, which causes some of it to boil off into a gas. After that, the gas rises above the fluid pool and condenses back to the temperature of saturation. The fluid returns to the fluid pool as a result of this.

Semi-open baths are necessary for this cooling technique, which means that the system must be sealed to prevent coolant evaporation while in use.Image credit to submer

Additionally, two-phase coolants are very costly, and it’s still unclear how the vapor will affect the bath operators.

Evaporation can cause issues with immersion cooling fluids that are two-phase or even single-phase. The fluid inside the bath enclosure might need to be sealed or replenished regularly.

Together, Intel and Dell Technologies are still paving the way for breakthroughs that enhance people’s lives, boost output, and inspire creativity. Energy efficiency is rising with each generation of processors, meaning that more calculations can be done for every watt of power required by the servers. But because there is an unquenchable need for computing power, processors are being made to operate at higher power levels to keep up with demand.

It becomes difficult to cool these processors with higher thermal design power (TDP) from an energy consumption and technological perspective. Conventional cooling systems were not intended to remove the increased heat generated, which accounts for up to 40% of an energy-intensive data center. By using immersion technology to cool the data center, it is possible to cool components with higher TDP while using less electricity and water, making the process more environmentally friendly.

Immersion cooling is one of the cooling technologies that could reduce the energy consumption of data centers. With this technology, the servers are immersed in a liquid that is safe for the computer’s internal parts and won’t conduct electricity. The server doesn’t have fans, which alone conserves data center electricity. Since immersion tanks normally capture almost all of the heat from the computer directly into the liquid, there is usually no need to move large volumes of air within the data center facility.

Additional facility savings result from the removal of facility fans, which in an air-cooled data center would have supplied air to the cold aisle in front of the racks since the heat is retained by the fluid in the immersion tanks. In certain situations, the cooling system’s compressors may be removed, which would increase energy savings. In certain compute configurations, the hot coolant that exits the computer could even be beneficial for other uses, such as industrial processes or district heating.

A primary obstacle confronting the technology is that certain processors and servers may find the thermal performance of existing immersion systems to be prohibitive. But together, Dell and Intel have made the most of the chances to implement sustainable computing in immersion. Users can benefit from the newest Intel compute architecture, integrated accelerators, and security features with Intel Xeon processors, like the Xeon Platinum 8480+ or 8470N, for increased performance.

Additionally, these processors are more energy-efficient than their predecessors, offering 2.9 times more performance per watt on average across a range of workloads. The 5th generation of Intel Xeon Scalable processors, which have more integrated accelerators than any other CPU on the market, offer exceptional performance and low total cost of ownership for workloads related to AI, databases, networking, and HPC.

With specific workloads, you can observe up to 10x greater performance per watt when utilizing built-in accelerators. Additionally, these processors have higher TDPs, but Dell has countered this with new immersion cooling features for Dell PowerEdge servers. Systems can be cooled more efficiently with Dell’s PowerEdge Smart Cooling features, which include a symmetrical layout and simplified flow paths for immersion liquid. According to internal Dell modeling, energy savings of up to 30% can be achieved over traditional perimeter air cooling for comparable servers and configurations when coolant flows efficiently around the hottest components.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[shineetools]

How far we have come in technology

Many people say that we have so far with technology over the past few years. Well, they'd be right.

We rarely give it much thought as to how far we have come, but reading an article in a radio magazine describing the comparison between tubes and transistors, I found it incredible just how far we have moved on.

We really don't give it credit in modern society as to the advances in technology.

When looking at the maths, we can start to make detailed comparisons between the two types of technology. Transistors VS Tubes.

The iPhone 11 contains (according to apple) 8.5 billion transistors. If each transistor was a tube, you would have 8,500,000,000 tubes running at approximately 2 watts per tube would be 17,000,000,000 Watts of power. It would weigh 231,200 metric tonnes and that's with more modern, smaller and lightweight tubes than 50 years ago.

The Cray-1 supercomputer released in 1975 weighed 5.5 tons and consumed 115kW. The amazing thing about this machine was that it ran on transistors, not tubes. It had a 64bit processor, ran at 80MHz, 303Mb of storage and 8.3Mb of RAM. It could compute 160 million calculations per second.

That was 1975.

Today the iPhone will run 154 billion calculations per second, has 256GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, consumes around 6 watts of power and weighs 194grams. All in something that can fit in your pocket so that you can play candy crush or whatever the latest fad is‽

So next time you complain about your phone being slow, just remember. Technology has come a very, very long way.

Yours, 

The Enginer'd

[humanoidhistory]

Welcome to the future: The Cray-2 supercomputer, the fastest machine in the world when it was released in 1985.