SGI Origin 2000
Origin2000 is a massively parallel computer from Silicon Graphics (SGI ), which was introduced in 1996. It is a ccNUMA system with a distributed, shared memory (Distributed Shared Memory DSM) in which up to 512 MIPS R10000, R12000 - R14000 or processors up to 600 MHz are coupled via NUMAlink -called high-speed connections.
NUMAlink interconnection network
The processors of a Origin2000 are pairwise connected to a hub called crossbar switch. These hubs are interconnected through a network of NUMAlinks which form a hypercube and sit at the node router. Since the router chips have only six NUMAlink connections, must be gone from 64 processors to a fat hypercube topology. The bidirectional transport NUMAlinks 1.6 gigabytes. At the beginning of the term CrayLink was used to draw attention to the also 1996, acquisition of Cray Research NUMAlink instead. Cray technology has been used but only in the next NUMAlink generation.
XIO input-output system
The hubs connect the processors next NUMAlink and memory with the Xbow - Ein-/Ausgabe-Crossbar-Switches to the eight In-/Output or processor cards can be connected. The XIO compound used is electrically identical to the NUMAlinks, but the protocol is optimized for Ein-/Ausgabe and not routable. As the NUMAlinks transmits the XIO bidirectional 1.6 GB, ie a XIO card can transfer data at 800 MB / s in the Origin2000.
Mechanical Design
Each Origin2000 consists of one or more compute modules, of which two in a 19 -inch cabinet. Each compute module takes one to four processor boards on each with two processors and up to four gigabytes of memory. On the backplane of the two modules XBow-Ein-/Ausgabe-Crossbars are mounted, which allows the connection of up to 12 XIO cards. By default, a BaseIO said card installed, the console port, network and mass storage connection (SCSI) provides. In an extra-wide XIO slot a PCI Card Cage can be used which allows the installation of up to three PCI66 -64 cards.
Furthermore, two router boards can be used to connect it via NUMAlink with other computer modules in each computer module. Each module can be equipped with two CD -ROM and / or DAT drives and up to six SCSI / SCA hard drives.
In development with more than 64 processors must be added to the cabinets with computer modules, a further meta- router cabinet to implement the extension to Fat Hypercube topology. Thus, an Origin2000 maximum configuration of 512 processors includes 33 19 - inch cabinets.
Graphic extension for Onyx2
By adding one or more Graphics modules, each with one or two InfiniteReality graphics Pipes an Origin2000 can be extended to a Onyx2. In this, designated by SGI as a graphics supercomputer combination up to two Graphics Modules can be connected with two pipes to each compute module XIO. This allows the construction of complex simulation and visualization applications.
Programming
Like all NUMAlink systems from SGI is programmed as a normal SMP system, the Origin2000, ie there are no special provisions for the distribution of tasks to the processors or the communication processes required. This is handled automatically by the IRIX operating system in collaboration me the hardware. Only if you need the last 5% of performance, one needs to optimize the software used for the ccNUMA system. But written for cluster systems programs can be easily ported on a customized MPI implementation.