Performance of Scientific Computing Platforms with MCNP4B

Abstract

Several computing platforms were evaluated with the MCNP4B Monte Carlo radiation transport code. The DEC AlphaStation 500/500 was the fastest to run MCNP4B. Compared to the HP 9000-735, the fastest platform 4 yr ago, the AlphaStation is 335% faster, the HP C180 is 133% faster, the SGI Origin 2000 is 82% faster, the Sun UltraSparc-1 200E is 54% faster, the Micron Millennia Pro personal computer is 10% faster, the Cray T94/4128 is 1% faster, the IBM RS/6000-590 is 93% as fast, the DEC 3000/600 is 81% as fast, the Sun Sparc20 is 57% as fast, the Cray YMP 8/8128 is 57% as fast, the Sun Sparc5 is 33% as fast, and the Sun Sparc2 is 13% as fast. All results presented are reproducible and allow for comparison to computer platforms not included in this study. Timing studies are seen to be very problem dependent. The performance gains resulting from advances in software were also investigated. Various compilers and operating systems were seen to have a modest impact on performance, whereas hardware improvements have resulted in a factor of 4 improvement. MCNP4B also ran approximately as fast as MCNP4A.