World's Fastest Computers: Get Cluster Speed Advice

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the fastest computers in the world, specifically focusing on cluster computing, performance metrics like FLOPS (floating point operations per second), and how to measure the speed of clusters. Participants seek information on various aspects of computer performance, including conversions between different units of measurement and practical advice on benchmarking clusters.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about resources for finding information on the fastest computers and clusters, including specific websites like Top500 and Wikipedia.
  • There are requests for conversions of performance metrics, such as converting 280.6 TFlop/s to more manageable units and understanding the definitions of megaflops and teraflops.
  • Participants discuss the meaning of prefixes like mega, giga, and tera in relation to FLOPS, with some providing detailed explanations of their values.
  • Questions arise about the nature of clusters, including their speed and how they compare to ordinary PCs, with some participants suggesting that clusters can be composed of many desktop processors.
  • One participant expresses uncertainty about how to measure the speed of a cluster and what specific metrics to consider, leading to discussions about benchmarking programs and the need for context in such measurements.
  • There are multiple requests for guidance on finding codes or methods to run tests on clusters to determine their speed.
  • Some participants emphasize the complexity of determining cluster speed and suggest consulting with cluster administrators or looking for specific documentation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion contains multiple competing views and remains unresolved regarding the best methods to measure cluster speed and the specific resources available for this purpose. Participants express varying levels of understanding about technical terms and concepts, indicating a lack of consensus.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the specific requirements for measuring cluster speed and the information needed to perform such measurements. There is also a mention of the potential complexity involved in benchmarking, depending on what aspects of performance are being measured.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students and researchers interested in high-performance computing, particularly those working with clusters or seeking to understand performance metrics in computational contexts.

  • #31
Kind of sounds like one of those cluster forks you read about sometimes :biggrin:
 
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  • #32
Gokul43201 said:
Well, 'terra' actually means 'ground' or 'land'. :wink:

It's 'tera' which is 1000 times bigger than 'giga'!

Tera means Earth not ground ;) and its Latin not greek

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_(mythology )

Tera is greek (enna dio tri tessera (τετρα) penti hexi hepta.. etc etc)τετρα is similar to tera I suppose
 
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