SGI Update: Zero Copy Architecture (ZCA)

“In high performance computing, data sets are increasing in size and workflows are growing in complexity. Additionally, it is becoming too costly to have copies of that data and, perhaps more importantly, too time and energy intensive to move them. Thus, the novel Zero Copy Architecture (ZCA) was developed, where each process in a multi-stage workflow writes data locally for performance, yet other stages can access data globally. The result is accelerated workflows with the ability to perform burst buffer operations, in-situ analytics & visualization without the need for a data copy or movement.”

Video: SGI Looks to Zero Copy Architecture for HPC and Big Data

In this video from SC15, Dr. Eng Lim Goh from SGI describes how the company is embracing new HPC technology trends such as new memory hierarchies. With the convergence of HPC and Big Data as a growing trend, SGI is envisions a “Zero Copy Architecture” that would bring together a traditional supercomputer with a Big Data analytics machine in a way that would not require users to move their data between systems.