New and developing technologies are fuelling the exponential growth in the use of data, analytics and AI. With more data comes the need for larger, more powerful computers. In this insight, we examine how high-performance computing has become the solution to processing increasingly large volumes of data.
Between 2010 and 2023, the amount of data generated increased by around 74x, from just 2 zettabytes to 120 zettabytes. This growth is expected to continue, with a projection of 181 zettabytes in 2025 (Statista). This data all needs to be processed, often very rapidly, and HPC is one method to do so.
While high-performance computing (HPC) was initially adopted by research scientists who needed to perform mathematical calculations, it has become the go-to platform for a wide range of industries, from seismic imaging to genomics and beyond. The market growth in generative AI (2023 global market size USD 13.24 billion) and quantum computing (2023 global market size USD 1.21 billion) over the last few years has additionally increased demand for HPC solutions to cope with resource intensive workloads.
What is HPC?
High-performance computing refers to the aggregation of immense computing power to process data and perform complex calculations at high speeds. HPC is used to convert large amounts of data into real insights, ultimately helping us to understand the world around us.
An HPC environment is made up of thousands of processors operating in parallel – similar to having thousands of PCs networked together, combining compute power to complete tasks faster.
To put it into perspective, where a standard desktop computer can perform around three billion calculations per second, HPC solutions can perform quadrillions of calculations per second.
How does HPC work in the cloud?
While traditional HPC environments can take the form of on-premise supercomputers, a more widely used approach is to use an interconnected cluster of servers to provide high-performance capabilities in the cloud.
Each server within the cluster serves as a node, and each node is typically equipped with multiple processors to handle compute-intensive tasks. The processors, graphical processing units (GPU) and memory resources within each node are all interconnected to create the high-performance system.
With the cost of purchasing and running a supercomputer easily running into the millions, having on-premise HPC is far beyond the financial reach of most businesses. However, with HPC now available in the cloud, businesses can reap the performance benefits without having to heavily invest in the underlying infrastructure and maintenance.
Why is HPC important?
Data is the gateway to scientific discoveries, business innovation and answers to unsolved questions, making HPC the foundation for industrial, scientific and societal progress.
With technologies like AI, Machine Learning and IoT quickly evolving, the amount of data that businesses have to process is growing rapidly. From tracking a developing storm to analysing stock trends, the ability to process data in real-time is crucial.
Processing this quantity of data in a traditional on-premise solution would require a huge amount of resources, at a great cost, and would take time to process. In order to stay ahead of the curve, businesses need IT infrastructure to be able to keep up with market changes and analyse massive amounts of data on-demand. HPC offers a cost-effective and rapid solution, and is easily scalable as a company grows and their data processing needs increase.
Who uses HPC?
Any environment that thrives on the collection and analysis of data with the help of immense computation power needs HPC. Whether deployed on-premises or in the cloud, HPC solutions are used for a variety of purposes across multiple industries.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning
AI computing requires significant computing power and performance for resource-intensive workloads. Hosting for AI has unique demands, and HPC infrastructure can be an ideal solution, either as a standalone platform for AI workloads, or as part of a hybrid infrastructure. HPC-powered AI computing is used to detect credit card fraud, provide self-guided technical support, teach self-driving vehicles, and improve cancer screening techniques, among many other uses.
Quantum computing
Quantum computing is a rapidly emerging technology, using quantum mechanics to solve complex problems. These quantum computers are being developed for use in security, finance, military, pharmaceutical development, aerospace and more. However, despite its widespread potential, quantum computing is still experimental, and the hardware prohibitively expensive. The integration of quantum computing and HPC infrastructure can give a more accessible solution, leveraging classical resources with quantum methods and workloads.
Oil and gas
The energy sector has long used HPC for seismic analysis to accurately identify where to drill for oil and gas deposits and help boost production from existing wells.
Research labs
Scientists use HPC to understand the evolution of our universe, find sources of renewable energy, predict and track storms, and create new materials.
Media and entertainment
HPC is used to edit feature films, render special effects and CGI, and stream live events around the world.
Financial services
The financial sector uses HPC to run applications more efficiently, analyse data quickly, and track real-time stock trends and automate trading.
The future of HPC
What was previously the domain of scientists and computer and software developers is becoming ever more important as a research tool in many surprising areas. From mapping the human brain to predicting the path of a hurricane, our ability to collect and analyse vast amounts of data will continue to increase the demand for HPC services.
What next?
To ensure you enjoy the maximum benefits from your HPC infrastructure, our experts will tailor your solution to your organisation’s exact requirements. Our HPC solutions utilise industry-leading hardware, including HPE BladeServers and SANs, the latest Intel processors and Juniper and Cisco networking products.
Through our in-depth consultation process our experts can get to know your business and advise on bespoke HPC infrastructure to meet your needs. Fill out our contact form and one of our cloud experts will be in touch.
