AWS Launches Hpc8a Instances Powered by 5th Gen AMD EPYC Processors
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced the general availability of Hpc8a instances, a new instance type optimized for high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. These instances are powered by the latest 5th Generation AMD EPYC processors and are designed to accelerate compute-intensive simulations, engineering tasks, and tightly coupled HPC applications.
Enhanced Performance and Capabilities
The Hpc8a instances deliver up to 40% higher performance, 42% greater memory bandwidth, and up to 25% better price-performance compared to the previous generation Hpc7a instances [AWS]. They feature a maximum frequency of up to 4.5 GHz and are well-suited for demanding workloads like computational fluid dynamics, simulations for faster design iterations, high-resolution weather modeling, and complex crash simulations.
Hpc8a Instance Specifications
Hpc8a instances are currently available in a single size, 96xlarge, offering the following specifications:
- Physical Cores: 192
- Memory: 768 GiB
- EFA Network Bandwidth: Up to 300 Gbps
- Network Bandwidth: 75 Gbps
- Attached Storage: EBS Only
The instances maintain a 1:4 core-to-memory ratio, allowing users to right-size their configurations based on specific workload requirements.
Underlying Technology
Hpc8a instances utilize sixth-generation AWS Nitro cards, which offload CPU virtualization, storage, and networking functions to dedicated hardware, and software. This enhances both performance and security for workloads. Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) is disabled on these instances to achieve optimal performance for HPC applications [AWS].
Integration with AWS Services
These instances are compatible with AWS ParallelCluster and AWS Parallel Computing Service (AWS PCS) to simplify workload submission and cluster creation. They also integrate with Amazon FSx for Lustre, providing sub-millisecond latencies and high throughput for storage.
Availability and Pricing
Amazon EC2 Hpc8a instances are currently available in the US East (Ohio) and Europe (Stockholm) AWS Regions [AWS]. Regional availability and future roadmap details can be found in the CloudFormation resources tab of AWS Capabilities by Region. Instances can be purchased as On-Demand Instances and through Savings Plans. Detailed pricing information is available on the Amazon EC2 Pricing page.
AMD and AWS Collaboration
The launch of Hpc8a instances represents the latest milestone in the ongoing collaboration between AWS and AMD. AWS has been utilizing AMD EPYC processors across various instance families since 2018, including general purpose, memory-optimized, compute-optimized, and HPC instances [AMD]. The new M8a instances, also powered by 5th Gen AMD EPYC processors, deliver up to 30% higher performance than the previous generation [AMD].
Users can explore Hpc8a instances in the Amazon EC2 console and provide feedback through AWS re:Post for EC2 or their usual AWS Support contacts.