The Cheyenne supercomputer, a powerful and energy-efficient systemthat was once one of the world's most powerful computers, is currently up for auction.

The Cheyenne supercomputer, a powerful and energy-efficient systemthat was once one of the world's most powerful computers, is currently up for auction. The system, which was inaugurated in 2016, features 145,152 cores across 4,032 dual-socket Xeon E5-2697v4 nodes and 313TB of DDR4-2400 memory, with a peak performance of 5.34 petaflops. The auction details suggest that the supercomputer is being sold off in parts, mainly to render farms, and discussions on platforms like Reddit and Hacker News indicate a significant interest in the hardware for various uses, including gaming systems and low-budget hosting services.

The Cheyenne supercomputer was initially housed at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center and was a critical tool for researchers studying a wide range of geosciences, including climate change, severe weather, and geomagnetic storms. Its capabilities allowed it to perform more than triple the amount of scientific computing of its predecessor, the Yellowstone supercomputer, and it was three times more energy-efficient.

The auction of such a significant piece of computing history highlights the rapid pace of technological advancement in supercomputing, as newer and more powerful systems like the Derecho supercomputer, which boasts 19.87 petaflops, continue to be developed and deployed. The sale of the Cheyenne supercomputer parts will likely attract interest from various sectors, including those looking to repurpose the technology for less intensive computational tasks or for parts resale.

The auction is being conducted by the US General Services Administration (GSA), and the current bid stands at $27,643, falling short of the reserve price. The supercomputer, which officially operated between January 12, 2017, and December 31, 2023, at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, significantly advanced atmospheric and Earth system sciences research.

During its tenure, Cheyenne delivered over 7 billion core-hours, served over 4,400 users, and supported nearly 1,300 NSF awards. It played a pivotal role in education, offering more than 80 university courses and training events. Nearly 1,000 projects were awarded for early-career graduate students and postdocs, and the research generated by Cheyenne-powered studies resulted in over 4,500 peer-review publications, dissertations, and theses, and other works.

The Cheyenne supercomputer was an SGI ICE XA system, featuring 4,032 dual-socket nodes, each with two 18-core, 2.3-GHz Intel Xeon E5-2697v4 processors, for a total of 145,152 CPU cores. It also included 313 terabytes of memory and 40 petabytes of storage. The entire system in operation consumed about 1.7 megawatts of power.

In comparison, the current world's top-rated supercomputer, Frontier at Oak Ridge National Labs in Tennessee, boasts a theoretical peak performance of 1,679.82 petaflops per second, includes 8,699,904 CPU cores, and uses 22.7 megawatts of power.

The GSA advises potential buyers of Cheyenne that professional movers with appropriate equipment will be required to handle the heavy racks and components. The auction includes seven E-Cell pairs (14 total), each with a cooling distribution unit (CDU), and two air-cooled Cheyenne Management Racks, each weighing 2,500 lbs, which contain servers, switches, and power units. Each E-Cell weighs approximately 1,500 lbs.

As of now, 12 potential buyers have placed bids on this computing powerhouse. The auction concludes on May 5, 2023, at 6:11 pm Central Time. However, it's important to note that fiber optic and CAT5/6 cabling are excluded from the resale package.

The Cheyenne supercomputer's auction has sparked interest among enthusiasts and professionals alike, with many discussing the potential uses of the system's components, including for gaming and low-budget hosting services. The sale of this supercomputer marks a significant moment in the history of computing, highlighting the rapid pace of technological advancement in the field.