Top 500 List Released

The top 500 list, which has been updated twice a year since June 1993, provides a basis for statistics on the most powerful high-performance computers installed throughout the world. The best Linpack linear algebra benchmark performance achieved is used as a performance measure in ranking the computers. The list is compiled with the help of high-performance computer experts, computational scientists, manufacturers, and the Internet community in general who responded to a questionnaire. To be considered, sites run the Linpack benchmark and submit their results to the list authors: Jack Dongarra, Hans Meuer, and Erich Strohmaier.

Statistics on high-performance computers are of interest to manufacturers, users, and potential users who want to know the number of systems installed, their location, and and the applications for which a computer system is being used. Such statistics facilitate collaborations, foster the exchange of data and software, and provide a better understanding of the high-performance computer market.

PACI Sites Listed

At least 13 sites affiliated with the NSF PACI program are included on the Top 500 list.

NCSA, Alliance	#27	SGI Origin2000
SDSC, NPACI	#59	SGI T3E
MHPCC, Alliance	#67	IBM SP
Boston University, Alliance	#113	SGI Origin2000
Ohio Supercomputer Center, Alliance	#119	SGI T3E
SDSC, NPACI	#121	IBM SP
Cal Tech, NPACI	#150	HP Exemplar X Class
MHPCC, Alliance	#215	IBM SP
University of Texas, NPACI	#230	SGI T3E
Cal Tech, NPACI	#401	HP Exemplar X Class
Cal Tech, NPACI	#402	HP Exemplar X Class
NCSA, Alliance	#404	HP Exemplar X Class
University of Kentucky, Alliance	#407	HP Exemplar X Class

Top 500 List

Take a look at the full list that gives all the details.

SGI Makes the Grade

SGI systems dominate the top of the list accounting for seven of the top 10 and 29 of the top 50 sites. In addition, while representing 36 percent of the systems on the list, SGI supercomputers recorded 48 percent of the list's total computing power. The company's Origin, Cray T3E, and Cray T90 systems represented 182 of the Top 500 sites on the semi-annual list.

Learning More

Learn more about the PACI-sponsored computing resources by visiting the Alliance and NPACI computational resources pages on their respective websites.