Dell, Intel, and University of Cambridge Collaborate to Launch UK’s Top AI Supercomputer

Dell, Intel, and University of Cambridge Collaborate to Deploy Dawn Phase 1 Supercomputer

Dell, Intel, and the University of Cambridge have announced the deployment of the Dawn Phase 1 supercomputer, which represents the fastest AI supercomputer in the UK. This collaboration showcases the integration of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) technologies, demonstrating their potential to address global challenges.

Key Details

• Dawn Phase 1 is part of the UK AI Research Resource (AIRR) initiative, emphasizing the country’s commitment to exploring innovative systems and architectures.
• The supercomputer brings the UK closer to achieving exascale computing, capable of performing a quintillion floating point operations per second.
• Operational at the Cambridge Open Zettascale Lab, Dawn utilizes Dell PowerEdge XE9640 servers and Intel Data Center GPU Max Series accelerators.
• The system’s capabilities extend across various domains, including healthcare, engineering, green fusion energy, climate modeling, cosmology, and high-energy physics.

Statement from Intel

“Dawn considerably strengthens the scientific and AI compute capability available in the UK and it’s on the ground and operational today at the Cambridge Open Zettascale Lab. Dell PowerEdge XE9640 servers offer a no-compromises platform to host the Intel Data Center GPU Max Series accelerator, which opens up the ecosystem to choice through oneAPI. I’m very excited to see the sorts of early science this machine can deliver and continue to strengthen the Open Zettascale Lab partnership between Dell Technologies, Intel, and the University of Cambridge, and further broaden that to the UK scientific and AI community.”

Glimpse into the Future

Dawn Phase 1 is part of a broader strategy to deliver a Phase 2 supercomputer in 2024, which promises tenfold performance levels. The technical foundation of the supercomputer lies in Dell PowerEdge XE9640 servers known for their versatile configurations and efficient liquid cooling technology, providing optimal handling of AI and HPC workloads.

Statement from Dell

“Collaborations like the one between the University of Cambridge, Dell Technologies, and Intel, alongside strong inward investment, are vital if we want the compute to unlock the high-growth AI potential of the UK. It is paramount that the government invests in the right technologies and infrastructure to ensure the UK leads in AI and exascale-class simulation capability. It’s also important to embrace the full spectrum of the technology ecosystem, including GPU diversity, to ensure customers can tackle the growing demands of generative AI, industrial simulation modeling, and ground-breaking scientific research.”

Dawn Phase 1 sets the stage for a transformative era in scientific and AI research in the UK. It not only accelerates research discovery but also propels the country’s knowledge economy to new heights.