MARC CLUSTER BENCHMARK Non-Linear Analysis of a Suspension Knuckle using MSC Marc 2003 DDM

HP J CPU Solve Time: 13:26 Baseline Time

Linux Cluster 2 CPU’s Solve Time: 5:20 Speed-Up: 2.5X

Linux Cluster 4 CPU’s Solve Time: 3:07 Speed-Up: 4.3X

Linux Cluster 8 CPU’s Solve Time: 1:51 Speed-Up: 7.3X

Linux Cluster 16 CPU’s Solve Time: 1:03 Speed-Up: 12.8X

Benchmark Summary For the current benchmark part, it would appear that 4 CPU’s provides optimal solution time vs computing resources being utilized. However, it should be expected that different types of non-linear simulations will yield varying performance curves and require different numbers of CPU’s due to the diverse nature of non-linear problems. While not difficult, submission of Marc simulations to the cluster is not currently as simple as “pushing go”. There are a number of variables that have to be configured to ensure a successful run that yields results rather than errors. We are working on a more efficient way to accomplish this task. A “cookbook” approach if you will… Irregardless of the number of processors or the computing platform used, the resultant stress value was always the same (274 Mpa) and in the same location. No deviation in accuracy was detected. There seems to currently be a “bug” in the Linux version of the Mentat Pre- processing software. The HP version had to be used to create the input decks for the cluster runs. MSC has been alerted to this and is working on correcting the issue. The Linux Networx hardware has so far performed flawlessly in all of the categories that it has been tested against. They have also been very professional in lending support to MSC to help resolve software issues in the Marc application.