OpenPower is setting up a new high-performance computing cluster dedicated to artificial intelligence applications at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) in the United States. This cluster, built around Dell hardware, is equipped with AMD Epyc processors and Nvidia GPU accelerators.
 

 
Named Ascend, this new computing cluster is slated for launch later this year and is designed to support OSC's work in artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and data analytics. OSC is a well-known public-private partnership and industrial high-performance computing facility. According to OSC, Ascend will join the existing Pitzer and Owens computing clusters to double the facility's capabilities in AI, modeling, and simulation.
 
Doug Johnson, OSC's Deputy Director, noted that there has been a growing demand for GPU resources over the past few years, prompting the creation of Ascend as OSC's first cluster fully dedicated to delivering GPU-intensive processing power.
 
"Establishing a cluster focused on rapidly analyzing very large datasets to deliver AI machine learning applications and simulations that our current systems can't run will better meet the needs of these clients while ensuring prompt processing of requests for our existing clusters, Pitzer and Owens," said Johnson.
 

 
The new cluster's hardware will include 24 Dell PowerEdge XE8545 server nodes, each with a 4U rack system and dual third-generation AMD Epyc processors. Each node will be equipped with four Nvidia A100 80GB GPUs, connected via Nvidia Quantum HDR 200Gbps interconnects.
 
Ascend is currently part of two National Science Foundation-funded projects aimed at advancing AI work. The first project, the Intelligent Network Infrastructure and Environmental Computing Learning AI Institute (ICICLE), led by Ohio State University, aims to develop the next generation of network infrastructure with a focus on democratizing AI.
 

 
The second project, the "Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Professionals AI Training Camp," set to take place this year, focuses on enhancing the AI skills of staff at research computing facilities like OSC nationwide.
 
Ascend cluster uniquely integrates OpenPower's high-performance distributed computing network technology, significantly boosting processing speed and optimizing the power efficiency ratio, providing OSC with unprecedented computing power. Additionally, utilizing OpenPower's advanced computing resources, Ascend achieves rapid analysis and processing of complex datasets, greatly enhancing data handling efficiency and precision.
 

 
As part of the collaboration with the National Science Foundation, OpenPower's technology will also support the ICICLE Institute and the upcoming CI Professionals AI Training Camp. These projects not only accelerate AI research and applications but also advance the development of intelligent network infrastructures, marking significant strides by OpenPower in driving global technological innovation and educational training.
 
Furthermore, the collaboration with OSC will help the center expand its capabilities in AI and high-performance computing to meet the growing needs of academic and industrial clients, thereby setting new standards in the global high-performance computing community. This partnership not only fosters technological innovation at OpenPower but also provides substantial support for the progress and development of related industries.