Sandia National Laboratories announced that their new supercomputer, Stout, has earned a spot on the Top500 computers. Securing the No. 87 position, Stout received a performance of 8.9 petaflops. The supercomputer's development and deployment is part of a broader national initiative for advanced simulation and computing.
The path to the development and successful ranking of Stout involved collaboration between several esteemed national institutions and programs. Under the National Nuclear Security Administration's Advanced Simulation and Computing program, the Stout supercomputer, overseen by Steve Monk, Sandia's manager, and project leader, is poised to greatly augment Sandia's high-performance computing capabilities. This collaborative initiative, operating within the NNSA's Commodity Technology Systems program, involves key partnerships with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Dell Technologies, according to a press release by Sandia National Laboratories.
Notably, the development of Stout is anticipated to significantly bolster Sandia’s current capabilities in crucial areas of operation. "Stout and its twin cluster, Amber, will provide Sandia with performance that is two to five times our current capabilities directly benefitting our nuclear deterrence and national security missions," said Monk in a press release by Sandia National Laboratories.
Furthermore, the role of such technological advancements extends beyond their immediate contributions to high-performance computing capacities. Sandia's Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program—aligned with NNSA's goal of extending the life of nuclear weapons without underground testing—offers cutting-edge computer simulation capabilities. These tools are not only transforming nuclear weapons engineering but also finding application in various national security programs. The ASC program is collaboratively undertaken by NNSA’s defense laboratories—Sandia, Los Alamos, and Lawrence Livermore—covering a spectrum of activities, with Sandia playing a significant role, according to the Advanced Simulation and Computing website provided by Sandia National Laboratories.
Beyond this individual case, there is an overarching strategy in place to utilize advanced technologies across national defense organizations for optimized efficiency. The Commodity Technology Systems (CTSs) were developed to streamline computing efforts across the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) defense complex. These systems leverage industry advancements and open-source software to construct, deploy, and integrate high-performance clusters of varying sizes into operational service. The ASC program aims at substantial reduction in the total cost of ownership, according to the CTSs website provided by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.