The NVIDIA Blog

Researchers to Tap NVLink to Power Next-Gen Research on Summit Supercomputer

Posted: 15 Apr 2015 10:00 AM PDT

New energy sources. New insights into our changing climate. New cures for the world's toughest diseases. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Summit supercomputing system is being built to power research that could change the world.

When it's completed and available in 2018, the GPU-accelerated machine will be capable of delivering 150 to 300 peak petaflops of computational performance. That's at least five times more than Oak Ridge's Titan, the fastest supercomputer in the U.S. today.

To make use of all this performance, this extraordinary new machine is attracting extraordinary new applications. That's why the lab today announced 13 projects for its Center for Accelerated Application Readiness (CAAR).

A fusion reactor to be powered up next decade will be simulated on Summit.

These projects include everything from astrophysics and climate modeling to nuclear energy and seismology. They will be among the first applications to run on Summit. Prepping them now means researchers will be ready to take full advantage of this advanced machine when it goes live.

Driven to NVLink

Summit will be powered by NVIDIA's Volta GPU architecture, which features an advanced technology called NVLink.

NVLink accelerates these powerful applications with a new kind of high-speed interconnect technology between Summit's IBM POWER CPUs and our next-generation NVIDIA GPU accelerators. This allows them to exchange data 5 to 12 times faster than they can with current interconnect technologies.

text — The NVLink interconnect speeds data between GPUs and CPUs

GPUs, of course, have a long history of powering many of the world's fastest supercomputers. But they're limited by today's technology — known as the PCI Express bus — which connects CPUs to GPUs, as well as GPUs to each other.

NVLink changes that. Imagine a congested four-lane highway. Now, imagine if it expanded to 20 lanes. More cars can get from point A to point B faster.

Likewise, NVLink essentially creates a throughput superhighway. The result: a machine that can do more work, more efficiently.

It's About the Science

With the horsepower of Volta, POWER and NVLink, Summit promises to be a supercomputer that can supercharge scientific discovery. A supercomputer that can power projects — like the ones selected for CAAR — with world-changing potential.

To learn more, visit the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility website and our NVLink page.

The post Researchers to Tap NVLink to Power Next-Gen Research on Summit Supercomputer appeared first on The Official NVIDIA Blog.

I’m Game Ready: “Grand Theft Auto V” Rocks with NVIDIA GameWorks Tech, Game Ready

Posted: 14 Apr 2015 03:40 PM PDT

It's one of the most anticipated titles of the year. Maybe of all time.

Early previews are great. And it's already topping Steam sales charts. Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V for the PC is the definition of a blockbuster.

Press previews have declared the Grand Theft Auto V for PC to be "the definitive version." They formed those opinions with demo systems that Rockstar configured with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 GPUs in SLI mode. With critical first impressions on the line, Rockstar Games choose NVIDIA hardware.

As gritty as Grand Theft Auto V's world is, it's also a beautiful one. And it looks incredible running on NVIDIA hardware. NVIDIA customers are set for an outstanding experience in that world from day one.

The game includes two GameWorks technologies: NVIDIA Percentage Closer Soft Shadows (PCSS) and NVIDIA TXAA. PCSS adds realistic soft shadows to games. TXAA is a film-style anti-aliasing technique that reduces the crawling and flickering seen in motion when playing games.

They're both part of our GameWorks stable of techniques creating advanced effects in games. We package these technologies so they're good for more than just demos. We make sure they're ready to use, so developers like Rockstar can add them to games millions will play.

Game Ready: Putting Gamers in the Driver's Seat

Gamers can't wait to play games like Grand Theft Auto V. That's why many preload hot new titles. So they can play them the moment they launch.

NVIDIA customers do the same with our Game Ready drivers. You won't be beta testing our drivers on launch day. They're already Microsoft WHQL-certified for quality.

Game Ready provides the best performance possible. But it's more than that. Game Ready means NVIDIA technologies such G-SYNC, one-click GeForce Experience optimizations, Dynamic Super Resolution, NVIDIA GameStream, AA modes, NVIDIA Surround, SLI profiles and NVIDIA Optimus profiles are all ready to go.

So before you explore Los Santos and Blaine County in the biggest, most dynamic open world ever created, equip yourself with a GeForce GTX PC. Just like Rockstar Games did.

Rockstar Games has created one of the most immersive worlds ever. With the power of NVIDIA, PC players will experience every detail.

The post I'm Game Ready: "Grand Theft Auto V" Rocks with NVIDIA GameWorks Tech, Game Ready appeared first on The Official NVIDIA Blog.