ARCHER2

ARCHER2
Name	ARCHER2
Active	2020 – present
Location	University of Edinburgh
Organization	UK Research and Innovation
Architect	Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Operating system	Linux
Power	~7 MW
Speed	~28 PetaFLOPS (Rmax)
Cost	£79 million

ARCHER2. It is the national supercomputing service for the United Kingdom, providing world-class high-performance computing resources for academic and industrial research. Hosted at the University of Edinburgh within the Advanced Computing Facility, the system is managed by EPCC and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and UK Research and Innovation. As a successor to the original ARCHER system, it represents a significant advancement in the UK's e-infrastructure for computational science.

Overview

The service forms a critical component of the UK's national research infrastructure, supporting a vast portfolio of scientific discovery. Its primary mission is to enable large-scale simulations and data analysis across disciplines including climate science, computational fluid dynamics, and materials science. Access is granted through a competitive peer-review process managed by the UK Research and Innovation funding bodies, ensuring resources are allocated to projects with the highest potential impact. The system is integral to the work of researchers at institutions like the Met Office and the Rosalind Franklin Institute.

Hardware and architecture

The compute nodes are based on the HPE Cray EX platform, featuring AMD EPYC processors and a high-performance Slingshot interconnect. This architecture provides a balanced system for both capability and capacity computing, essential for complex multi-scale simulations. The total system comprises over 5,800 nodes, delivering a peak performance in excess of 28 PetaFLOPS, and is supported by a multi-tiered storage hierarchy utilizing Lustre (file system) technology. The facility's design emphasizes energy efficiency and is supported by a direct liquid cooling system to manage the substantial thermal load.

Software and applications

A rich software environment is maintained, including optimized compilers from the Cray Programming Environment and widely used scientific libraries such as the Message Passing Interface and OpenMP. Researchers utilize applications like CP2K for quantum chemistry, OpenFOAM for engineering simulations, and the Unified Model for weather and climate prediction. Support for emerging workloads in artificial intelligence and machine learning is provided through frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch, enabling convergence between traditional high-performance computing and data-intensive research.

Access and usage

The primary route for academic access is via grants from councils including the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Industrial researchers can engage through specific innovation programs such as those offered by the Hartree Centre. The service also supports critical training and skills development through the ARCHER2 eCSE program and courses run by the Software Sustainability Institute. A portion of the resource is dedicated to supporting the UK Met Office and other strategic national partners.

History and development

The procurement and installation followed the conclusion of the original ARCHER service, which was itself a successor to the HECToR national system. The contract was awarded to Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2019, with the system entering full user service in 2021. Its development was aligned with the UK's national strategy for high-performance computing, as outlined in initiatives like the ExCALIBUR programme for exascale software. The system's deployment ensures the UK research community remains competitive with international facilities such as those operated by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and PRACE.

See also

* Cirrus (supercomputer) * Isambard (supercomputer) * TOP500 * Supercomputing in Europe * National Supercomputing Service

Category:Supercomputers Category:University of Edinburgh Category:Research institutes in the United Kingdom Category:2020 establishments in the United Kingdom