ScaleMP vSMP Foundation
Introducing High-end Virtualization
Computing virtualization is a technique for hiding the physical characteristics of a compute resource from the Operating System, applications or end users interacting with that compute resource. ScaleMP has created a new computing virtualization paradigm.
High-end virtualization: Multiple physical systems appear to function as a single logical system. ScaleMP defines this virtualization paradigm as Aggregation.
ScaleMP is the leader in virtualization for aggregation. The innovative Versatile SMP (vSMP) architecture aggregates multiple x86 systems into a single virtual x86 system, delivering an industry-standard, high-end symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) computer. ScaleMP is using software to replace custom hardware and components, to offer a new, revolutionary computing paradigm.
Flexible Architecture
vSMP Foundation software implements the vSMP architecture; enabling the creation of a single virtual system by aggregating up to 128 industry-standard x86 systems. vSMP Foundation creates virtual systems ranging from 4 to 1,024 processors (8,192 cores) and up to 64 TB of shared memory.
vSMP Foundation aggregates system boards with different processor speeds, varied memory amounts or dissimilar I/O devices. This is a unique capability among x86 shared memory systems.
For applications that are compute-intensive, it is possible to create homogenous systems with up to 1,024 sockets (8,192 cores) and over 64 TB RAM, delivering more than 1.5 TFLOPS. For applications that are memory-intensive and not compute-intensive, an imbalanced configuration that mixes high-speed and low-speed processors can be architected. With such an imbalanced configuration, vSMP Foundation will aggregate only the highest-speed processors, while not exposing the lower-speed processors to the Operating System. Such a configuration allows reduced costs and power consumption, providing large-memory and top system performance. Similarly, the customer can mix and match I/O expansion options to fit application needs, making it possible to deliver the industry’s most versatile and flexible high-end x86 systems. Coupled with the price/performance attributes, solutions based on vSMP Foundation provide customers the best value for their money.
One System
vSMP Foundation 3.0 supports the aggregation of up to 128 x86 server systems. Once loaded into the memory of each of the system boards, vSMP Foundation aggregates the compute, memory and I/O capabilities of each system and presents a unified virtual system to both the Operating System and the applications running above the OS. vSMP Foundation uses a software-interception engine in the form of a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) to provide a uniform execution environment. vSMP Foundation also creates the required BIOS and ACPI environment to provide the OS (and the software stack above the OS) a coherent image of a single system.
Coherent Memory
vSMP Foundation maintains cache coherency between the individual boards using multiple advanced coherency algorithms. These complex algorithms operate concurrently on a per-block basis, based on real-time memory activity access patterns. vSMP Foundation leverages board local-memory together with best-of-breed caching algorithms to minimize the effect of interconnect latencies.
Shared I/O
vSMP Foundation aggregates I/O resources across all boards into a unified PCI hierarchy and presents them as a common pool of I/O resources to the OS and the application. The OS is able to utilize all the system storage and networking controllers towards providing high-I/O system capabilities.
vSMP Foundation for SMP
Cost-effective, modular software-based SMP solution / The alternative to proprietary systems
Proprietary high-core-count, large-memory systems are expensive and often underutilized. vSMP Foundation™ delivers a software-based SMP with record-breaking performance at the fraction of the cost of proprietary systems – and no vendor lock in.
Using the Versatile SMP (vSMP) architecture, this landmark solution aggregates up to 128 servers into a single virtual x86 system, with up to 8,192 cores and 64TB or main memory. It supports the latest generation of Intel Xeon processors (56xx, 65xx, 75xx series) and large memory as well as offering high-availability features such as partitioning and a redundant InfiniBand backplane.
vSMP Foundation for SMP
Features
- Highest CPU capacity: Enables up to 16,384 CPUs in a single shared-memory system.
- Largest memory footprint: Enables up to 64TB RAM.
- High speed I/O: Leverages parallel storage controller for data-intensive workloads.
- Unparalleled RAS characteristics:
- Redundant Infiniband connectivity;
- Optional “partitioning” to create completely isolated OS instances;
- Fault isolation and automatic system recovery.
Benefits
- Performance: outperforms traditional SMP systems.
- Investment protection: supports mixed components with different processor speeds, varied memory amounts or dissimilar I/O devices.
- SMP for the cost of a cluster: leverages off-the-shelf x86 servers for up to 5x CAPEX savings.
- Platform-neutral: available for 2 or 4 socket; rack mount or blade form factor.
- Modular: future-proof architecture provides “pay-as-you-grow” flexibility.
vSMP Foundation for Cluster
Virtualize clusters into one, uncluttered system / The alternative to complex cluster-management solutions
Clusters deliver high performance at much lower CAPEX, but complex installation and management and cluster OPEX costs make customers think twice before implementation.
vSMP Foundation for Cluster runs a single OS across the entire system. Using the Versatile SMPTM (vSMP) architecture, this groundbreaking solution aggregates up to 128 servers into a single, virtual x86 machine, simplifying day-to-day administration and eliminating the need for cluster-management skillsets.
vSMP Foundation for Clusters
Features
- Single OS instance for up to 128 nodes: Enables up to 16,384 CPUs in a single shared-memory system.
- Built-in, high-performance storage: Delivers linear, non-blocking scratch performance.
- Aggregated memory footprint delivers top performance for pre- and post-processing.
- Unparalleled RAS characteristics
- Seamless InfiniBand fail-over
- Optional “partitioning” to create completely isolated OS instances
- Fault isolation and automatic system recovery
Benefits
- Simple management: Single OS instance across an entire cluster.
- No need for job schedulers, resource manager or cluster file-system.
- Scalable storage with seamless integration: Eliminates dedicated, costly cluster storage.
- Fast installation: Unboxing to production within 3 hours.
- Record-breaking performance: Provides InfiniBand performance with zero management and application portability costs.
vSMP Foundation for Cloud
On-demand SMP / The alternative to legacy HPC datacenter architecture
Cloud computing’s resources-as-a-service frees end-users from resource ownership, expertise or control over the underlying technology. Users borrow and consume IT services much as they would telephony, electrical or plumbing infrastructure.
High-performance workloads, with their requirements for a large number of processing cores or large-memory/RAM footprints, have been beyond the scale of common cloud computing resources. Thus, end-users with different types of workload have had to purchase dedicated, expensive and purpose-built hardware. In addition to the expense, they were required to spend their time maintaining and managing these additional compute resources, instead of running workloads and generating application results.
ScaleMP’s vSMP Foundation for Cloud applies HPC on-demand architecture to carve out large SMP systems, supporting aggregation of up to 128 servers, utilizing the latest generation of Intel Xeon processors (55xx, 56xx, 65xx, 75xx series) into a single virtual machine, with up to 8,192 cores and 64TB or main memory. Coupled with industry-leading provisioning systems, vSMP Foundation for Cloud enables IT administrators to shape the system to the workload, rather than constrain workload capabilities to system limitations. Versatile SMPTM (vSMP) architecture enables provisioning of virtual machines on a per-job, per-project or per-customer basis, optimizing cloud utilization to close to 100% of enterprise and compute workloads, and increasing cloud infrastructure ROI.
vSMP Foundation for Cloud
Features
- Use same cluster nodes for on-demand SMP.
- Highest CPU capacity: Enables up to 16,384 CPUs in a single shared-memory system.
- Largest memory footprint: Enables up to 64TB RAM.
- Multiple provisioning systems:
- MOAB from Adaptive Computing;
- Bright Cluster Manager Suite;
- xCAT from IBM.
Benefits
- On-demand computing: Shape the machine to the workload, rather than the workload to the machine.
- Cost-effective: unified infrastructure for all HPC workloads: distributed memory, shared memory, large memory and I/O-intensive.
- Decreased TCO and increased utilization: Support for concurrent, shared-memory systems with “pay-as-you-grow” flexibility.
- Network installation: Provides seamless integration with any grid management system.
- Cluster-like cost structure.
Flexible Versatile Architecture
vSMP Foundation software implements the vSMP architecture; enabling the creation of a single virtual system by aggregating up to 128 industry-standard x86 systems. vSMP Foundation creates virtual systems ranging from 4 to 1,024 processors (8,192 cores) and up to 64 TB of shared memory.
vSMP Foundation aggregates system boards with different processor speeds, varied memory amounts or dissimilar I/O devices. This is a unique capability among x86 shared memory systems.
For applications that are compute-intensive, it is possible to create homogenous systems with up to 1,024 sockets (8,192 cores) and over 64 TB RAM, delivering more than 1.5 TFLOPS. For applications that are memory-intensive and not compute-intensive, an imbalanced configuration that mixes high-speed and low-speed processors can be architected. With such an imbalanced configuration, vSMP Foundation will aggregate only the highest-speed processors, while not exposing the lower-speed processors to the Operating System. Such a configuration allows reduced costs and power consumption, providing large-memory and top system performance. Similarly, the customer can mix and match I/O expansion options to fit application needs, making it possible to deliver the industry’s most versatile and flexible high-end x86 systems. Coupled with the price/performance attributes, solutions based on vSMP Foundation provide customers the best value for their money.