PROJECT BRIEF

BACKGROUND

The supercomputers owned and operated by the United States federal government (USG) constitute a fleet of sophisticated computational resources that can be deployed at a moment’s notice to address critical use-cases. In this era of increasing computational complexity, dependency on legacy systems and the need to expand the supercomputer fleet is consequential if the U.S. is to remain globally competitive while satisfying its domestic needs.

AIMS

This project charted the capabilities and utilization of federal HPC resources in recent years in a manner that is comprehensive yet accessible to the public through (1) data consolidation of ISG supercomputers, (2) performance comparison of supercomputers owned by the Department of Energy (DOE), and (3) resource allocation analysis. At the same time, the database may serve as an impetus for more coordinated discussions on future HPC investments among federal agencies.

METHODOLOGY

The research process began with identifying pertinent data on USG supercomputers. As mentioned in the previous section, the project is divided into three distinctive parts. Each part required a set of unique data that combine to create a complete picture of federal HPC resources.

DELIVERABLES

The project’s deliverables coincided with the three distinctive parts. Data consolidation highlighted the fact that Department of Energy (DOE) supercomputers are on average capable of processing more data in a shorter timeframe than comparable systems owned and operated by other federal agencies. Performance comparison revealed that although DOE supercomputers are the most powerful among those already deployed and in operation, private sector supercomputers have caught up and will soon surpass them in performance. Finally, resource allocation analysis found  that even with the increasing complexities in scientific research, DOE facilities would be able to accommodate many more users in the future.

IMPACT AND FUTURE WORK

This report provides a foundation for the Department of Energy to assess its strategic direction and prioritize investments in HPC innovations, ensuring the U.S. remains globally competitive and well-equipped to address future computational challenges. DOE has made significant strides in improving access to its HPC resources and the increasing adoption of AI and ML in federally supported projects in recent years. Moving forward, while DOE’s supercomputing infrastructure remains robust, it must anticipate the rapidly evolving demands of AI research and be able to provide an alternative to private sector systems that can process more data at a faster pace with lower energy cost.