Abstract :
A panel will discuss how data centers and high performance computing systems currently use two main classes of interconnection networks. Those based on the Ethernet protocol (EtherNET) and those with proprietary protocols (EtherNOT means Infiniband, Infiniband variants such as PathScale and Cray XD1, Quadrics, Myricom, etc.). While Ethernet can be considered a commodity product, other specialized systems can achieve better performance and can scale to configurations of several thousands of nodes, for example, by providing special support for collective communication. The panel will discuss the pro and cons of both approaches, and attempt to predict future trends in high-performance networking.
Keywords :
local area networks; multiprocessor interconnection networks; performance evaluation; transport protocols; EtherNET; EtherNOT; Ethernet protocol; commodity product; high performance computing system; interconnection network; proprietary protocol; Ethernet networks; High performance computing; Multiprocessor interconnection networks; Protocols;
