Fujitsu to build Riken's new deep learning supercomputer
The Riken Center for Advanced Intelligence Project in Japan has announced it will be receiving a new deep learning supercomputer next month, which will be used to accelerate research and development into the "real-world" application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
The system will be provided by Japanese IT giant Fujitsu, with the supercomputer's total theoretical processing performance expected to reach 4 petaflops.
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The system is comprised of two server architectures, with 24 Nvidia DGX-1 servers -- each including eight of the latest NVIDIA Tesla P100 accelerators and integrated deep learning software -- and 32 Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY RX2530 M2 servers, along with a high-performance storage system, Fujitsu explained.
Fujitsu said the file system is Fujitsu Software FEFS on six Fujitsu Server PRIMERGY RX2540 M2 PC servers; eight Fujitsu Storage ETERNUS DX200 S3 storage systems; and one Fujitsu Storage ETERNUS DX100 S3 storage system to provide the IO processing demanded by deep learning analysis.
Along with the standard DGX-1 deep learning software environment provided by Nvidia in a public cloud, Fujitsu said it will also integrate a customised software environment for use in a secure on-site network.
"Nvidia DGX-1, the world's first all-in-one AI supercomputer, is designed to meet the enormous computational needs of AI researchers
"Powered by 24 DGX-1s, the Riken Center for Advanced Intelligence Project's system will be the most powerful DGX-1 customer installation in the world," said Jim McHugh, VP and general manager at Nvidia. "Its breakthrough performance will dramatically speed up deep learning research in Japan, and become a platform for solving complex problems in healthcare, manufacturing, and public safety."
The new supercomputer will be installed in Fujitsu's Yokohama datacentre, with Fujitsu to also provide Riken with R&D support when using the system.
Founded in 1917, Riken is a large research institute in Japan that boasts about 3,000 scientists over seven campuses across Japan.
The new system will be used by the Riken centre to accelerate research into AI and the development of technologies to support fields such as regenerative medicine and manufacturing, in addition to "real-world" implementation of solutions to social issues including healthcare for the elderly, management of aging infrastructure, and response to natural disasters.
Fujitsu's K computer currently installed at the Riken Advanced Institute for Computational Science in Kobe, Japan, is in the top 10 of 2016's TOP500 list of the fastest computers in the world.