AWS is launching new instances based on AMD processors. These allow organizations to configure their own HPC clusters in the cloud.
Amazon Web Services is introducing new instances for HPC workloads. The Hpc6a instances are built around third-generation AMD Epyc processors. Each instance features 96 compute cores and 384 GiB of memory. In addition, Amazon offers 100 Gbps Elastic Fiber Adapternetworking. The Hpc6a instances offer a 65 percent better price-performance ratio than alternatives, according to AWS itself. By that, the cloud specialist is presumably referring to Intel-based instances.
HPC cluster
The Hpc6a instances are focused on HPC workloads. Customers can deploy the instances in scalable clusters, managed through AWS ParallelCluster. This allows them to build their own virtual supercomputers in the cloud. The offering should provide an alternative to on-premises HPC infrastructure and is aimed at organizations dealing with fluid dynamics, molecular dynamics, weather forecasting and other typical HPC applications.
The instances are compatible with AWS Nitro. Nitro includes hardware that can take care of virtualization functionality, relieving the burden on the processor. Encryption also runs through Nitro chips, making instances more secure without impacting performance.
The instances become available immediately in US East (Ohio) and AWS GovCloud (US-West). For European regions, AWS is not announcing availability for now, although it plans to roll them out more broadly.