All about RIKEN Integrated Cluster of Clusters (RICC)

This is an introduction to the RIKEN's supercomputer RIKEN Integrated Cluster of Clusters (RICC), that has been in operation since August 2009. The basic concept of the RICC is to "provide an environment with high power computational resources to facilitate research and development for RIKEN's researchers". Based on this concept, we have been operating the RICC system as a (i) data analysis environment for experimental researchers, (ii) development environment targeting the next-generation supercomputer; i.e., the "K" computer, and (iii) GPU (graphics processing unit) computers for exploring challenges in developing a future computer environment. The total performance of RICC is 97.94 TFlops, ranking it as the 125th on the Top500 list in Nov. 2011. We prepared four job class accounts, based on the researchers' proposals prior to evaluation by our Review Committee. We also provided backup services to RIKEN's researchers, such as conducting RICC training classes, software installation services, and speed up and visualization support. To encourage affirmative participation and proactive initiation, all the services were free of charge; however, access to RICC was limited to researchers and collaborators of RIKEN. As a result, RICC has been able to maintain a high activity ratio (> 90%) since the beginning of its operation.