Re:China Tops U.S. in Supercomputers
by ams6110 on Monday June 20, 2016 @10:26AM
(#11938217)
Basically it's hard to use a Cray node as a stand-alone server. Yes it runs linux, but it has no storage, no external network. There is the so-called cluster compatibility mode but bottom line everything is a scheduled batch job in a very walled garden.
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Cray invests a lot in their interconnect; if you aren't using it, there is little reason to be on a Cray.
Which just emphasizes the point that most applications would be better served by cheaper, more resilient hardware.
All the stranger that they sold their interconnect technology, arguably their "secret sauce" to Intel. Without the interconnect, they are just a bunch of (very high quality) diskless x86 systems.