Supercomputer Cedar
Supercomputer Cedar
As the future of research moves to agile prototyping and integrating big data approaches across the spectrum of research, SFU has world leading expertise to guide researchers on their big data journey by using Supercomputer Cedar.
High Performance Computing (HPC)—also known as supercomputing—empowers Canadian researchers to tackle large, difficult problems and conduct research investigations as it dramatically speeds up research, offering processing speeds thousands of times faster than a traditional desktop.
Most research today is data intensive, whether it is genomics, advanced materials, or humanities and social sciences. SFU’s supercomputer Cedar serves a diverse range of research projects and enables discoveries that previously may not have been possible because the tools were simply not there.
SFU computing science professor Jian Pei works with Supercomputer Cedar to do research for good. His research focuses on data mining and ensuring it is produced, shared and used in an effective, efficient, fair and ethical manner to create positive change in our lives.
Canada's supercomputer infrastructure
Supercomputer Cedar provides the computing power Canadian researchers need to achieve transformational innovations that directly benefit Canadians. Just some of these include personalized medicine for better patient care, green technologies to help fight climate change and artificial intelligence research that will contribute to the Canadian economy.
Cedar is one of five national systems Compute Canada has deployed as part of one of the biggest advanced research computing renewals in Canada’s history.
Learn more about this technology renewal at www.computecanada.ca/techrenewal.
Why is SFU's supercomputer named Cedar?
Cedar references the Western Red Cedar, British Columbia’s official tree, and is of great spiritual significance to First Nations. The cedar tree also symbolizes inspiration and can represent data structures.
SFU stories about Cedar
Photos: SFU launches Canada’s most powerful academic supercomputer, Cedar (SFU News, April 21, 2017)
Q&A: SFU scientist Fiona Brinkman explains the significance of SFU’s new supercomputer, Cedar (SFU News, April 11, 2017)
Canada’s most powerful academic supercomputer will launch at SFU (SFU News, April 3, 2017)
Access to Cedar for Canadian researchers
Researchers have access to a robust suite of services provided by a world-class advanced research computing team at the university. SFU’s Research Computing Group is a dedicated and experienced team that provides consultation, expertise and insight to guide researchers on their big data journey by using Supercomputer Cedar.
Specifications
Cedar provides expanded compute, storage and cloud resources for researchers across the country. With our regional partners, Compute Canada serves over 11,000 Canadian researchers, including more than 3,000 faculty members across all academic disciplines.
For a list of Supercomputer Cedar's specifications, please visit https://docs.computecanada.ca/wiki/Cedar.