NUMAlink

<h2 id="numalink-2">NUMAlink 2</h2>
<p>There was no NUMAlink 1, as SGI's engineers deemed the system interconnect used in the <a href="/facts/Stanford_DASH/heeBY2cT">Stanford DASH</a> to be the first generation NUMAlink interconnect. 
NUMAlink 2 (branded as CrayLink) was announced in October 1996 for the <a href="/facts/SGI_Onyx2/wGxSw4tQ">Onyx2</a> <a href="/facts/Visualization_(computer_graphics)/xVfxo6FJ">visualization</a> systems, the <a href="/facts/SGI_Origin_200/LfzaXRRP">Origin 200</a> and the <a href="/facts/SGI_Origin_2000/VWwb0NRH">Origin 2000</a> servers and supercomputers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> The NUMAlink 2 interface is the <a href="/facts/SGI_Origin_2000/VWwb0NRH">Hub ASIC</a>. NUMAlink 2 is capable of 1.6 GB/s of peak bandwidth through two 800 MB/s, <a href="/facts/Positive_emitter-coupled_logic/wAN1uEgH">PECL</a> 400 MHz 16-bit unidirectional links.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="numalink-3">NUMAlink 3</h2>
<p>NUMAlink 3 is the third generation of the interconnect, introduced in 2000 and used in the <a href="/facts/SGI_Origin_3000/PWWqRwzf">Origin 3000</a> and <a href="/facts/Altix/UhG4k5Jk">Altix 3000</a>. NUMAlink 3 is capable of 3.2 GB/s of peak bandwidth through two 1.6 GB/s unidirectional links.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
The name NUMAflex reflects the modular design approach around this time.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="numalink-4">NUMAlink 4</h2>
<p>NUMAlink 4 is the fourth generation of the interconnect, introduced in 2004 and used in the <a href="/facts/Altix/UhG4k5Jk">Altix 4000</a>. NUMAlink 4 is capable of 6.4 GB/s of peak bandwidth through two 3.2 GB/s unidirectional links.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="numalink-5">NUMAlink 5</h2>
<p>NUMAlink 5 is the fifth generation of the interconnect, introduced in 2009 and used in the <a href="/facts/SGI_Altix/UhG4k5Jk">Altix UV</a> series. NUMAlink 5 is capable of 15 GB/s of peak bandwidth through two 7.5 GB/s unidirectional links.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="numalink-6">NUMAlink 6</h2>
<p>NUMAlink 6 is the sixth generation of the interconnect, introduced in 2012 and used in the SGI UV 2000, SGI UV 3000, SGI UV 30. NUMAlink 6 is capable of 6.7 GB/s of bidirectional peak bandwidth for up to 256 socket system and 64TB of coherent shared memory.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="numalink-7">NUMAlink 7</h2>
<p>NUMAlink 7 is the seventh generation of the interconnect, introduced in 2014 and used in the HPE Integrity MC990 X/SGI UV 300, SGI UV 30EX, SGI UV 300H, SGI UV 300RL. NUMAlink 7 is capable of 14.94 GB/s of bidirectional peak bandwidth for up to 64 socket system and 64TB of coherent shared memory.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="numalink-8-flex-asic">NUMAlink 8 (Flex ASIC)</h2>
<p>NUMAlink 8 is the eighth generation of the interconnect, introduced in 2017 and used in the HPE Superdome Flex. NUMAlink 8 provides 13.3 GB/s of bandwidth per port<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> and systems using it are capable of 853.33 GB/s of bisection peak bandwidth (64 links are cut) across a 32 socket system with up to 48 TB of coherent shared memory.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_device_bit_rates/RJzvfP0g">List of device bit rates</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/InfiniBand/6CUz47wQ">InfiniBand</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/RapidIO/Jnuf2MNd">RapidIO</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Myrinet/V93lvD9t">Myrinet</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Scalable_Coherent_Interconnect/QvMJHpge">Scalable Coherent Interconnect</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/QsNet_II/KnSAzFzw">QsNet II</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/QuickRing/pznMxxv2">QuickRing</a></li></ul>

<ul><li>Joseph Heinrich, <i><a href="http://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/origin/007-3439-002.pdf">Origin and Onyx2 Theory of Operations Manual</a></i>, 007-3439-002, Silicon Graphics.</li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://hpe.com/superdome">HPE NUMAlink servers</a>, Superdome Flex.</li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161028040934/http://www.sgi.com">Silicon Graphics International, official website (pre-acquisition)</a> at the <a href="/facts/Wayback_Machine/nmQ3a6JC">Wayback Machine</a> (archived October 28, 2016)</li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090327194141/http://www.sgi.com">Silicon Graphics, official website (pre-acquisition)</a> at the <a href="/facts/Wayback_Machine/nmQ3a6JC">Wayback Machine</a> (archived March 27, 2009)</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Silicon Graphics and Cray Research Unveil Modular Origin Server Family: High-Bandwidth Systems Revolutionize Computer Buying Economics With Seamless Scalability". Press release. October 7, 1996. Archived from the original on July 7, 1997. Retrieved September 21, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/19970707174608/http://www.sgi.com/Headlines/1996/October/originserver_release.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/19970707174608/http://www.sgi.com/Headlines/1996/October/originserver_release.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"SGI Enters OEM Agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to Deliver SGI UV Technology through HPE Mission Critical Solutions - SGI Blog". 9 February 2016. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161104192455/http://blog.sgi.com/hpe/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20161104192455/http://blog.sgi.com/hpe/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Bandwidth per port in each direction (each NUMAlink port is a dual simplex channel). <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>DASH used separate request and reply mesh networks, so this bandwidth number is not directly comparable to NUMAlink. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"Silicon Graphics and Cray Research Unveil Modular Origin Server Family: High-Bandwidth Systems Revolutionize Computer Buying Economics With Seamless Scalability". Press release. October 7, 1996. Archived from the original on July 7, 1997. Retrieved September 21, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/19970707174608/http://www.sgi.com/Headlines/1996/October/originserver_release.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/19970707174608/http://www.sgi.com/Headlines/1996/October/originserver_release.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"SGI® NUMAlink™ Industry Leading Interconnect Technology" (PDF). White paper. April 13, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060328173509/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3771.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060328173509/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3771.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>"SGI® NUMAlink™ Industry Leading Interconnect Technology" (PDF). White paper. April 13, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060328173509/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3771.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060328173509/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3771.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>John Mashey (August 30, 2000). "NUMAflex Modular Design Approach: A Revolution in Evolution". Retrieved September 28, 2016. <a href="/wiki/John_Mashey" target="_blank">/wiki/John_Mashey</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>"SGI® NUMAlink™ Industry Leading Interconnect Technology" (PDF). White paper. April 13, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060328173509/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3771.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060328173509/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/3771.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:10"><p>"SGI Altix UV" (PDF). www.sgi.com. Silicon Graphics International. 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-18. <a href="http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4185.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4185.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:11"><p>"SGI UV 2000 Datasheet" (PDF). www.sgi.com. Silicon Graphics International. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2016-02-10. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170517033759/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4552.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20170517033759/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4552.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:12"><p>"SGI UV 3000, UV 30 Datasheet" (PDF). www.sgi.com. Silicon Graphics International. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-06-11. Retrieved 2016-02-10. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170611092401/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4555.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20170611092401/http://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4555.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:13"><p>"SGI UV 300, UV 30EX Datasheet" (PDF). www.sgi.com. Silicon Graphics International. 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-10. <a href="https://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4530.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4530.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:14"><p>"SGI UV 300H Datasheet" (PDF). www.sgi.com. Silicon Graphics International. 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-10. <a href="https://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4559.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4559.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:15"><p>"SGI UV 300RL Datasheet" (PDF). www.sgi.com. Silicon Graphics International. 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-10. <a href="https://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4562.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.sgi.com/pdfs/4562.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:16"><p>"Endeavour Configuration Details". NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) Division. 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2023-10-28. A Superdome Flex ASIC (also known as NUMAlink 8) provides 16 flex grid ports, each capable of 13.3 GB/s data rates for maximum flex grid bandwidth. The total bi-sectional crossbar grid bandwidth for a 32-socket Superdome Flex server is more than 850 GB/s. <a href="https://www.nas.nasa.gov/hecc/support/kb/endeavour-configuration-details_662.html" target="_blank">https://www.nas.nasa.gov/hecc/support/kb/endeavour-configuration-details_662.html</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:17"><p>"HPE's Superdome Gets An SGI NUMAlink Makeover". www.nextplatform.com. The Next Platform. 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-14. <a href="https://www.nextplatform.com/2017/11/06/hpes-superdome-gets-sgi-numalink-makeover/" target="_blank">https://www.nextplatform.com/2017/11/06/hpes-superdome-gets-sgi-numalink-makeover/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:18"><p>"HPE Superdome Flex Server - Product documentation". hpe.com. HPE. 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-14. <a href="https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/default.aspx?cc=us&lc=en&oid=1010323140" target="_blank">https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/default.aspx?cc=us&lc=en&oid=1010323140</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:19"><p>"HPE High Performance Computing & AI Solutions" (PDF). www.hpe.com. Hewlett Packard Enterprise. 2017. Retrieved 2018-03-24. <a href="http://193.62.125.70/CIUK2017/HP.PDF" target="_blank">http://193.62.125.70/CIUK2017/HP.PDF</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

NUMAlink open-in-new

NUMAlink