March 2021 Summaries

The semiconductor industry is increasingly turning to cloud solutions to overcome challenges posed by complex transistor designs and compute resource constraints that hinder R&D progress. As traditional infrastructures struggle to support rapid technological advancements, cloud and cloud HPC infrastructures offer enhanced security, agility, and productivity, enabling breakthroughs in various fields such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and alternative energy. Despite initial security concerns, major cloud providers have invested heavily to ensure robust data protection, leading to fewer security incidents compared to on-premises data centers. Platforms like Rescale facilitate the transition by providing flexible, scalable, and secure environments that enhance engineers' focus, accelerate product development, and improve speed to market. These advancements are further supported by the endorsement of cloud technologies by major manufacturers like TSMC and the increasing adoption by startups lacking their infrastructure. The shift to cloud computing is set to revolutionize the semiconductor industry, driving new levels of performance and efficiency.

Recent platform updates include several advanced simulation software tools that enhance modeling capabilities across various engineering domains. Siemens Simcenter STAR-CCM+ 2021.3.1 offers multiphysics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for real-world conditions. Altair's suite, including AcuSolve, Feko, and Flux, provides comprehensive CFD modeling, high-frequency electromagnetic simulation, and optimization of electromechanical equipment performance, respectively. FLOW-3D HYDRO v 1.0 introduces a water-focused CFD solution for civil and environmental engineering, while AVL Simulation Suite 2020 R2 delivers detailed insights into component and vehicle behaviors. Additionally, NUMECA INCL FINE / TURBO v13.2 serves as a complete turbomachinery design solution. The full software catalog is accessible for those interested in further exploration or application availability. The summary is authored by Jolie Hales, an award-winning filmmaker and former Disney Ambassador, who is also active as an actor, singer, and emcee.

High Performance Computing (HPC) is a critical industry projected to reach $55 billion by 2024, primarily driving advancements in research and innovation through complex algorithmic workloads. Traditionally reliant on on-premises supercomputers and Linux clusters, the industry is experiencing a significant shift towards cloud adoption due to the increasing variety of specialized architectures and simulation software. The inaugural Big Compute report by Rescale highlights this trend, noting that more than half of HPC users now employ multiple public cloud providers, a marked increase from 2018. This transition is partly fueled by the expanding simulation software market, expected to hit $21 billion by 2025, and the need for greater agility akin to the developer experience in enterprise software. The report also underscores the challenge of bridging the talent gap in HPC, as specialists in both scientific domains and cloud infrastructure are scarce, prompting leaders to seek automation solutions for digital R&D.

Rescale has been at the forefront of modernizing High Performance Computing (HPC) for over a decade, developing the first intelligent computing platform for digital R&D using technologies from leading Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) like Amazon Web Services (AWS). The platform simplifies HPC on AWS through full-stack automation and control, serving industries such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy, and life sciences. AWS has heavily invested in HPC infrastructure, including HPC-optimized CPUs, GPUs, and fast networking, facilitating Rescale's use of AWS's scalable cloud initiatives to support vast computational workloads. The recent launch of the AWS HPC Competency designation highlights AWS's commitment to advancing HPC technologies, reinforcing Rescale's leadership and technical expertise in optimizing complex workloads. Rescale's focus is on enabling innovative customers' success through digital R&D, and AWS's ongoing investments are poised to further modernize the HPC industry.