# Sierra

> supercomputer

**Wikidata**: [Q48842673](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48842673)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_(supercomputer))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sierra

## Summary
Sierra is a supercomputer located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. Developed by IBM and Nvidia in 2018, it is designed for high-performance research and nuclear security tasks. At its peak in November 2018, it was ranked the second fastest supercomputer in the world, achieving a performance of 94.6 petaflops.

## Key Facts
- **Type:** Supercomputer (Instance of).
- **Location:** Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States.
- **Inception:** 2018.
- **Developers:** IBM and Nvidia.
- **Hardware:** Utilizes IBM POWER9 22C 3.1GHz CPUs and Nvidia Tesla (Volta) GPUs.
- **Processing Cores:** 1,572,480.
- **Performance:** Achieved an Rmax of 94.640 petaflops and an Rpeak of 125.71 petaflops on the TOP500 list (Nov 2018).
- **Power Consumption:** 7,438.28 kilowatts.
- **Rankings:** Ranked #2 globally in Nov 2018; dropped to #14 globally by Nov 2024.
- **Operating System:** Linux (identified as Q215273).

## FAQs
### Q: Who operates the Sierra supercomputer?
A: Sierra is operated by the National Nuclear Security Administration and the United States Department of Energy. It is physically housed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

### Q: What is the Sierra supercomputer used for?
A: The system is used primarily for research and nuclear power applications. It supports the National Nuclear Security Administration's mission, which typically involves stockpile stewardship and national security.

### Q: How powerful is the Sierra supercomputer?
A: Sierra has a maximum performance (Rmax) of 94.6 petaflops. It features over 1.5 million processor cores and consumes over 7.4 megawatts of power.

## Why It Matters
Sierra represents a critical asset in United States national security and scientific research. As one of the world's most powerful supercomputers, it provides the computational muscle necessary for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to maintain the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation's nuclear stockpile without the need for underground testing.

Built through a collaboration between IBM and Nvidia, Sierra showcases the capabilities of heterogeneous computing, combining IBM POWER9 processors with Nvidia Volta GPUs to handle massive parallel processing tasks. Its presence in the top tiers of the TOP500 list for several years highlights the enduring capabilities of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in advancing high-performance computing (HPC). The system plays a vital role in ensuring the reliability of nuclear deterrence while also facilitating advanced scientific research.

## Notable For
- **High Global Ranking:** Held the #2 spot on the TOP500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers from November 2018 to November 2019.
- **Advanced Architecture:** Utilizes a specific configuration of IBM POWER9 CPUs and Nvidia Tesla Volta GPUs interconnected with Dual-rail Mellanox EDR InfiniBand.
- **Nuclear Security:** Dedicated to the "nuclear power" field of work and operated by the NNSA.
- **Scale:** Features over 1.5 million processing cores and a storage capacity of approximately 1.38 petabytes (1,382,400 gigabytes).
- **Energy Intensity:** Consumes significant power (7,438.28 kW) to achieve its 94+ petaflop performance.

## Body

### Development and Specifications
Sierra is a supercomputer created through a partnership between **IBM** and **Nvidia**. It began operation in **2018**. The system architecture relies on **IBM POWER9 22C 3.1GHz** processors paired with **Nvidia Tesla (Volta)** graphics processing units (GPUs). This hybrid architecture allows for high-performance computing efficiency, utilizing Dual-rail Mellanox EDR InfiniBand for data bus communication.

### Performance and Rankings
According to the TOP500 project, which ranks the world's most powerful non-distributed computer systems, Sierra demonstrated the following timeline of performance:
- **June 2018:** Ranked #3 globally (Rmax: 71.61 petaflops).
- **November 2018:** Climbed to #2 globally (Rmax: 94.640 petaflops).
- **2020:** Consistently ranked #3.
- **2023:** Dropped to #6 in June and #10 in November.
- **2024:** Ranked #12 in June and #14 in November.

The system's peak performance (Rpeak) is recorded at **125.71 petaflops**.

### Operations and Purpose
Sierra is located at the **Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory** in California, a federal research facility established in 1952. The laboratory employs nearly 10,000 people, and Sierra serves as a core platform for their computational needs. The supercomputer's primary operator is the **National Nuclear Security Administration** (a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy).

The official website for the system is `https://computation.llnl.gov/computers/sierra`, where it is described as being utilized for "nuclear power" and general "research."

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## References

1. [Source](https://www.top500.org/site/49763/)
2. [Source](https://www.top500.org/system/179398/)
3. [TOP500](https://www.top500.org/system/179398/)
4. [Source](https://hpc.llnl.gov/hardware/platforms/sierra)
5. [Source](https://cacm.acm.org/news/237612-petaflop-systems-dominate-the-supercomputer-landscape/fulltext)
6. [Source](https://computation.llnl.gov/computers/sierra)