Case Study: El Capitan

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a crucial hub for cutting-edge research and development, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The laboratory's principal mission is to uphold the safety, security, and reliability of the United States' nuclear weapons through the application of advanced science, engineering, and technology.

Enter El Capitan, LLNL's latest addition to its impressive lineup of supercomputers. El Capitan represents a monumental leap forward in high-performance computing. Similar to its predecessor, the Sierra supercomputer, El Capitan will play a pivotal role in supporting the initiatives of the United States National Nuclear Security Administration. El Capitan’s incredible processing power was recently explained as; To imagine every person on the Earth, all 8 billion of us, all doing a calculation such as an addition, or subtraction, every second of every day for 8 years, this would be equal to what El Capitan will do in one second.

El Capitan takes its place within the Livermore Computing Complex, alongside other supercomputers dedicated to both classified and unclassified national security programs. With a maximum performance exceeding 2 exaflops per second, El Capitan will far surpass the capabilities of its predecessors, firmly establishing itself as a trailblazer in the realm of supercomputing.

To shield El Capitan from potential seismic risks associated with its loca.on in the earthquake-prone San Francisco Bay Area, LLNL has opted to again implement ISO-Base™ platforms beneath the server racks. These platforms, developed using proprietary base isolation technology, boast a proven track record of protecting valuable IT equipment by mitigating seismic shock and vibrations. By harnessing ISO-Base™ platforms, LLNL aims to ensure the continued performance and operational continuity of El Capitan, cementing its status as a cornerstone of innovation and discovery in high-performance computing.

The decision to fortify the entire LLNL supercomputing complex with ISO-Base™ platforms underscores LLNL's unwavering commitment to upholding the reliability and stability of systems such as El Capitan. This strategic measure aligns with the laboratory's dedication to pushing the boundaries of computational science and engineering. This positions El Capitan as a catalyst for transformative breakthroughs across diverse fields of scientific research and computational simulations.

The world’s fastest supercomputer trusts ISO-Base™ from WorkSafe Technologies for seismic protection. WorkSafe is proud to be a partner of El Capitan at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.