The International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage, and Analysis
The International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage, and Analysis
Authors: Maike Gilliot (European Technology Platform for High-Performance Computing (ETP4HPC), Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA)), Andreas Wierse (Sicos BW GmbH, European Technology Platform for High-Performance Computing (ETP4HPC)), Franz-Josef Pfreundt (Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics, European Technology Platform for High-Performance Computing (ETP4HPC)), Daniele Cesarini (CINECA, European Technology Platform for High-Performance Computing (ETP4HPC)), Marcin Ostasz (European Technology Platform for High-Performance Computing (ETP4HPC)), Pascale Rossé-Laurent (Bull Atos, European Technology Platform for High-Performance Computing (ETP4HPC)), Francois Bodin (Research Institute of Computer Science and Random Systems (IRISA))
Abstract: Legal requirements regarding the Environmental Total Cost of Ownership will soon be in place in Europe.
Sustainability is in direct contradiction with the current design of the value chain and its innovation practices, so there will be a need to remain open-minded to overcome resistance and conflict between the stakeholders. Opportunities will arise, however, for HPC to contribute to the global notion of ‘green computing’.
We will juxtapose the views of two major stakeholders; technology provision (represented by Fraunhofer) and software (Cineca); to determine where the seeds of possible solutions exist and how to implement them.
Long Description: We all need to consume less. Sustainability is the most important priority of the European Union. ETP4HPC, the entity which delineates of the European HPC technology research roadmap and which represents the European HPC industry, has embarked on the task of identifying those elements of the HPC supply chain where adequate solutions can be put in place in order to reduce the Global Warming Potential (e-waste and energy consumption) of HPC systems.
Delivering fast HPC and reducing its environmental footprint in the long-term seem to be two contradictory terms. HPC systems would need to be manufactured to last longer but this would also render fast innovation in its current form, a requisite for the systems to remain competitive an arduous task. The other elements of the supply chain (application development, use) will face similar hurdles, e.g. the compatibility, programmability and efficiency of codes to be ported onto heterogeneous hardware architectures.
HPC is not the most environment friendly technology - it is effort- and capital-intensive and resistance to this paradigm change is bound to penetrate the entire community
as the recommended measures would increase the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) as measured in the traditional way.
HPC is no longer an insulated infrastructure and is now part of the Digital TransContinuum, providing the ability to deploy complex end-to-end application workflows in conjunction with other technologies - as a result of the integration of computing centers into a set of infrastructures that gathers sensors, the edge, the fog, data centers denoted the continuum.
How to define the new TCO and new procurement criteria to introduce the environmental cost of systems - The traditional procurement for supercomputer acquisition is mainly based on two criteria: efficiency in flops/watts (which increase the attractiveness of new technologies or paradigms) and contractual maintenance while in operation conditions (generally calculated for 3 - 5 years). Multiple other criteria need to be added: code portability and tuning effort, GWP due to the production of new hardware component and the recycling of old hardware. How should one measure the real benefits of sustainability in terms of decarbonisation and e-waste?
How to define usability in this complex infrastructure - How to select the most efficient applications workflow deployment without exposing the complexity and interoperability challenge of this new execution environment paradigm? How can one make such a complex and variable environment usable to scientists or industrial users?
Which parts of the value chain could offer solutions?
How to overcome the resistance to change?
How to take advantage of the opportunities provided by this paradigm change for European leadership? When European procurement will reflect Europe’s commitment to reduce GWP? Europe has a large investment in scientifics applications tools and runtimes - what will be the investment to promote a sustainable software ecosystem? How to federate European HPC around GWP?
The research and the approaches identified to date will be presented. Stakeholders representing design, manufacturing and users will present the pros and cons of the possibilities of reducing the GWP in their areas.
URL: https://www.etp4hpc.eu/euexascale.html
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