# Niagara

> canadian supercomputer

**Wikidata**: [Q74475631](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q74475631)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/niagara

## Summary
Niagara is a Canadian supercomputer located at the University of Toronto, built by Lenovo and launched in 2017. It runs on CentOS and uses Xeon Gold 6148 processors, delivering up to 6.25 petaflops of peak performance.

## Key Facts
- Niagara is a Canadian supercomputer located at the University of Toronto
- It was manufactured by Lenovo and launched in 2017
- The system uses 80,640 processor cores based on Xeon Gold 6148 CPUs
- It runs on CentOS Linux distribution
- Niagara achieved a peak performance of 6.25 petaflops and an Rmax of 3.6 petaflops
- The system consumes 919.42 kilowatts of power
- It features Mellanox InfiniBand EDR networking with 4 connections
- Niagara's TOP500 ranking was 53rd in June 2018, declining to 280th by November 2024

## FAQs
### Q: What is Niagara?
A: Niagara is a Canadian supercomputer located at the University of Toronto, built by Lenovo in 2017. It uses Xeon Gold 6148 processors and delivers up to 6.25 petaflops of computing power.

### Q: Where is Niagara located?
A: Niagara is located at the University of Toronto in Canada.

### Q: What operating system does Niagara use?
A: Niagara runs on CentOS, a Linux distribution that was first released in 2002.

### Q: What are Niagara's performance specifications?
A: Niagara delivers 6.25 petaflops of peak performance (Rpeak) and 3.6 petaflops of sustained performance (Rmax), using 80,640 processor cores.

### Q: How powerful is Niagara compared to other supercomputers?
A: Niagara was ranked 53rd on the TOP500 list in June 2018, but its ranking has declined over time to 280th place as of November 2024.

## Why It Matters
Niagara represents a significant computing resource for Canadian research and academic institutions, providing high-performance computing capabilities for complex scientific calculations, data analysis, and simulations. As a Lenovo-built system, it demonstrates the growing presence of Chinese technology companies in the global supercomputing market. The system's deployment at the University of Toronto makes advanced computational resources accessible to Canadian researchers across various disciplines, from climate modeling to biomedical research. Its use of CentOS and Xeon Gold processors reflects standard industry practices in supercomputing infrastructure. While its TOP500 ranking has declined over time, reflecting the rapid advancement in supercomputing technology, Niagara continues to serve as an important computational resource for the Canadian research community.

## Notable For
- Canadian supercomputer located at the University of Toronto
- Built by Lenovo, a major Chinese technology company
- Uses 80,640 Xeon Gold 6148 processor cores
- Delivers 6.25 petaflops of peak computing performance
- Consumes 919.42 kilowatts of power during operation

## Body
### Technical Specifications
Niagara is built around Lenovo's supercomputing architecture, utilizing 80,640 processor cores based on Intel's Xeon Gold 6148 CPUs. Each processor runs at 2.4 GHz, providing the system with substantial parallel computing capabilities. The system's architecture is designed for high-throughput computing tasks common in academic and research environments.

### Networking Infrastructure
The supercomputer employs Mellanox InfiniBand EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) networking technology, with 4 connections providing high-bandwidth, low-latency communication between compute nodes. This networking infrastructure is crucial for maintaining performance in parallel computing applications where data must be exchanged rapidly between processors.

### Performance Metrics
Niagara achieves 6.25 petaflops of peak performance (Rpeak), with a sustained performance of 3.6 petaflops (Rmax) as measured by the LINPACK benchmark. These performance metrics place it in the upper tier of global supercomputing systems, though its ranking has declined from 53rd in 2018 to 280th in 2024 as newer, more powerful systems have been deployed worldwide.

### Power and Cooling
The system consumes 919.42 kilowatts of electrical power during operation, requiring substantial cooling infrastructure to maintain optimal operating temperatures. This power consumption is typical for high-performance computing systems of this scale and reflects the significant energy requirements of modern supercomputing.

### Software Environment
Niagara runs CentOS, a popular Linux distribution derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux. CentOS provides a stable, enterprise-grade operating environment suitable for the demanding requirements of supercomputing applications. The choice of CentOS reflects common practices in the supercomputing community, where Linux-based systems dominate due to their stability, flexibility, and extensive software ecosystem.