Using Supercomputers for Computer RAM Upgrade
ABSTRACT
Supercomputers have been used for several applications beneficial to man. There are improvements to supercomputers yearly; as their proficiency is increased, it extends their usefulness also. Supercomputers are mainframe computers among the most powerful at any given time; having high processing speed and very large memory size. This memory can be programmed to be shared with computers around the world. Computer programs written for this purpose will enable a supercomputer share parts of its memory with computers. The shared memory will be available to upgrade the Random Access Memory (RAM) of computers. Usually, computer RAM upgrade is done manually by manufacturers or technicians as in Local I/O, making the memory size available same at a given time unless replaced manually. This paper presents that RAM of computers or devices can be upgraded using programmed software connected to the internet. A first time user connects to the internet, downloads' the software and request for certain byte of memory from the supercomputer. The software acts as the ‘virtual' RAM for the extra memory provided at the time. The RAM of a computer can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; it is an integrated circuit memory chip that allows information to be stored or accessed in any order and all storage locations are equally accessible. It comes with a predetermined size. With the application described in this paper, memory size larger than predetermined can be made available to computers at anytime.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The objective of this research is to provide an alternative to manual upgrades for Random Access Memory (RAM) of computers. A computer user from anywhere in the world can boost the RAM of his computer while in use by requesting via the internet for a certain amount of memory from the server.
The server is the Supercomputer with a high processing speed and very large memory. The server will be programmed to share some of its memory to computers that sends it request via the Internet.
The RAM to be provided for the computer will be available for use while the computer is ON, just as the RAM of computers is used only when the computer is in use. When the system is switched on, a user can lunch the software and request certain size of memory from the server via the Internet.
A supercomputer as named is a mainframe computer that is one of the fastest, largest or most powerful at a given time; it performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for computers. It has been used for high calculation tasks like petroleum exploration, molecular and climate modeling, simulations and quantum physics. [Standard Coordinating Committee, 1996]
Supercomputers designed for Computer RAM upgrade may be used for RAM upgrade alone, ensuing ones maybe used for RAM upgrade and other tasks like weather forecasting.
Using this technology, immediate RAM upgrade will be available to any computer connected to the Internet that have the required software; this will save energy also since success of this technology will reduce manual production and use of RAM.
Information Technology Organizations can have supercomputers for this purpose; they will also develop the software to be downloaded on computers. Interested users will have to buy the software and pay subscription to the service as fixed by the organization or provider.
2.0 THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT
The Supercomputer to be built may have memory in the range of 1-3petabyte to ensure that requested memory by thousands of users will available concurrently.
If the supercomputer is to have a memory in that range; a total of 16G DRAM will be on each compute card, there will be 16 compute card on each node and 32node card per rack and it will have about 96racks in all.
This will amount to about 2petabyte of memory. Since no existing supercomputer has achieved up to 1petabyte of memory as of late 2010, the memory size may not be up to this more than one supercomputers will be used for Random Access Memory (RAM) Upgrade; so we may have one supercomputer upgrading for few thousand computers.
The Supercomputer is expected to have a processing speed of over 200 teraflop a relatively lower value than fastest known supercomputers available in late 2010; since its purpose is disbursing memory rather a direct data processing device.
The supercomputer will use any operating system programmed to understand the software to be downloaded on computers. When the supercomputer gets a request using the software from a computer, it comes with information like the existing RAM of the system and how much RAM can be made available to the computer.
The software on any computer downloaded for this purpose will act as the additional memory of the computer, making the amount of memory available from the supercomputer, the computers' while in use.
This is the expected mode of operation of the memory-boost supercomputer, scientific and technical review will supplement it.
3.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Programming mode and design structure of Supercomputers for Random Access Memory (RAM) Upgrade will be the same as other supercomputers; just that performance consideration for sharing memory will have more programs added to the operating system and more memory than other supercomputers.
The supercomputer will share over 80% of its memory; the processing speed will aid its number of connections per minute. Making the large memory and processing speed useful for the RAM upgrade purpose.
An important set of programs for RAM upgrade is to build the software for use in computers because it will act as ‘hardware'. It will be required to connect with the RAM of the computer, get its size, send memory requested to the server and also act as the ‘virtual' RAM when the memory is made available.
There are processes that a computer RAM performs to function as the memory while the computer is in use. For example, the Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) has one transistor and one capacitor per bit. A separate capacitor within the Integrated circuit stores each bit of data. This process makes DRAM useful as a volatile memory and it loses it data when power is removed. [IBM, 1997]
The processes leading to saving and losing data will be performed by the supercomputer while the installed software presents an upgrade to the computer.
Memory to be made available to the computers may depend on the existing memory of the each computer but memory in excess of 1G should be provided by using this service.
The installed software will show processes performed by the virtual memory and help check validity of a user's subscription to the service. Other devices that use memory for graphics and other application that requires memory use will have access to the server if compatible software is developed for them. The internet remains the link between computer software and the server.
4.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
For corporations, organization doing large graphic designs or operating data warehouse can have extra memory to their computers in use whenever it is needed so long they have the software and remain connected to the internet.
This simple to use technology will have computers RAM upgraded as desired and will help increase output.
The Random Access Memory (RAM) upgrade feature will be useful in diverse ways than described here; for example, it will also be developed to enable common computer applications perform same function as the RAM upgrade software.
A web browser or a media player can also be used to boost the RAM of a computer; features to make it possible can be available by updating from a previous version to one that has been programmed to connect to the server. However, memory to be provided by such applications from the server maybe limited to the total memory it requires while in use in the computer.
Copyright owners of web browsers may have supercomputer for use with their applications; alternatively copyright owners may enter into an agreement with organizations that make the RAM upgrade supercomputers to help provide the service for their application. This may come at a price or with agreements.
When a computer user connects to the internet, opens his web browser, the browser opens and automatically gets some amount of memory to itself from the server, the memory is subject to change if the application requires more. Media, Graphics, and other Application packages may be updated for this also.
Since the software for RAM upgrade monitors the processes using the available memory to the computer; the processes will be encrypted because processes lie on users computer and does not get transferred to the server. This will help people know that server hands memory only, it does not save, spy or monitor processes on computers.
4.1 CONCLUSION
Computer programs are the lifeblood of this suggestion, once they are available; technology to make Supercomputers boost the Random Access Memory of computers will be available too. This research is related to cloud computing, because it presents ease in use of technology.
Advance technology helps to ease programs and processes; such advancement is presented in this paper. As described, the technology is at hand; sooner or later, a supercomputer many miles away will help to upgrade the Random Access Memory of computer several miles from it.
APPENDIX
Random Access Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM) of a computer is the most common computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; it is an integrated circuit memory chip that allows information to be stored or accessed in any order and all storage locations are equally accessible. It is a volatile memory because what it stores is erased when power is turned off. [ECE, 332]
Access time is the amount of time it takes the RAM to write data or read it once the request has been received from the processor. The value of access time usually varies and is measured in nanoseconds. [DCT, 2000]
Main RAM can be divided into Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). SRAM does not need to be recharged with power or information i.e. power refreshed and has a faster access than DRAM. SRAM is more expensive and requires four times the amount of space for a given amount of data than DRAM. Typical access time of SRAM is usually higher than that of DRAM. [DCT, 2000]
DRAM uses a kind of capacitor that needs frequent power refreshing to retain its charge since reading a DRAM discharges its contents, a power-refresh is required after each read. Apart from reading, just to maintain the charge that holds its content in place, DRAM is refreshed frequently. DRAM is the least expensive kind of RAM. [DCT, 2000]
RAM can be compared to a person's short term memory and the hard disk to the long term memory. The short term memory focuses on work at hand, but can only keep so many facts at a time. RAM is called ‘Random Access' because any storage location can be accessed directly. RAM is organized and controlled in a way that enables data to be stored and retrieved directly to specific locations. [DCT, 2000]
When a computer is switched on, the operating system and other files are loaded into the RAM, usually from the hard disk, if the RAM fills up, the microprocessor, needs to continually go to the hard disk to overlay old data in RAM with new ones, making the computer operation slow. RAM never gets completely full neither does it run out of memory; it rather operates much slowly. [DCT, 2000]
NOTATIONS
G Gigabyte is a unit of information equals to 1000 Megabyte
or 10^9 (1,000,000,000) bytes.
Terabyte A unit of information equal to 1000 Gigabyte
or 10^12 (1,000,000,000,000) bytes.
Petabyte A unit of Information equal to 1000 Terabyte
or 10^15 (1,000,000,000,000,000) bytes
Nanoseconds Is a unit of time equal to 1billionth of a second
Or 10^-9 (1/1000000000) seconds
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many thanks to Scientist all over the world who provided resources in writings, lectures and notes in Pure and Applied Sciences geared towards keeping Science as the Center of the world and Research as the center of Science.
REFERENCES
DCT, Informatics Kajang, (2000) Hand Out 4: Supplementary Notes 4, Microprocessor & Random Access Memory.
IBM (1997) Application Note: Understanding Static RAM Operation, pages 1-2
Peter Haugen, Ian Myers, Bret Sadler, John Whidden. "A Basic Overview of Commonly Encountered types of Random Access Memory (RAM)" ECE 332
Standards and Coordinating Committee 10 (Terms and Definitions)
Jane Radatz (Chair), (1996). The IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms, volume IEEE Std 100-1996. IEEE Publishing.
Supercomputers have been used for several applications beneficial to man. There are improvements to supercomputers yearly; as their proficiency is increased, it extends their usefulness also. Supercomputers are mainframe computers among the most powerful at any given time; having high processing speed and very large memory size. This memory can be programmed to be shared with computers around the world. Computer programs written for this purpose will enable a supercomputer share parts of its memory with computers. The shared memory will be available to upgrade the Random Access Memory (RAM) of computers. Usually, computer RAM upgrade is done manually by manufacturers or technicians as in Local I/O, making the memory size available same at a given time unless replaced manually. This paper presents that RAM of computers or devices can be upgraded using programmed software connected to the internet. A first time user connects to the internet, downloads' the software and request for certain byte of memory from the supercomputer. The software acts as the ‘virtual' RAM for the extra memory provided at the time. The RAM of a computer can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; it is an integrated circuit memory chip that allows information to be stored or accessed in any order and all storage locations are equally accessible. It comes with a predetermined size. With the application described in this paper, memory size larger than predetermined can be made available to computers at anytime.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The objective of this research is to provide an alternative to manual upgrades for Random Access Memory (RAM) of computers. A computer user from anywhere in the world can boost the RAM of his computer while in use by requesting via the internet for a certain amount of memory from the server.
The server is the Supercomputer with a high processing speed and very large memory. The server will be programmed to share some of its memory to computers that sends it request via the Internet.
The RAM to be provided for the computer will be available for use while the computer is ON, just as the RAM of computers is used only when the computer is in use. When the system is switched on, a user can lunch the software and request certain size of memory from the server via the Internet.
A supercomputer as named is a mainframe computer that is one of the fastest, largest or most powerful at a given time; it performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for computers. It has been used for high calculation tasks like petroleum exploration, molecular and climate modeling, simulations and quantum physics. [Standard Coordinating Committee, 1996]
Supercomputers designed for Computer RAM upgrade may be used for RAM upgrade alone, ensuing ones maybe used for RAM upgrade and other tasks like weather forecasting.
Using this technology, immediate RAM upgrade will be available to any computer connected to the Internet that have the required software; this will save energy also since success of this technology will reduce manual production and use of RAM.
Information Technology Organizations can have supercomputers for this purpose; they will also develop the software to be downloaded on computers. Interested users will have to buy the software and pay subscription to the service as fixed by the organization or provider.
2.0 THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT
The Supercomputer to be built may have memory in the range of 1-3petabyte to ensure that requested memory by thousands of users will available concurrently.
If the supercomputer is to have a memory in that range; a total of 16G DRAM will be on each compute card, there will be 16 compute card on each node and 32node card per rack and it will have about 96racks in all.
This will amount to about 2petabyte of memory. Since no existing supercomputer has achieved up to 1petabyte of memory as of late 2010, the memory size may not be up to this more than one supercomputers will be used for Random Access Memory (RAM) Upgrade; so we may have one supercomputer upgrading for few thousand computers.
The Supercomputer is expected to have a processing speed of over 200 teraflop a relatively lower value than fastest known supercomputers available in late 2010; since its purpose is disbursing memory rather a direct data processing device.
The supercomputer will use any operating system programmed to understand the software to be downloaded on computers. When the supercomputer gets a request using the software from a computer, it comes with information like the existing RAM of the system and how much RAM can be made available to the computer.
The software on any computer downloaded for this purpose will act as the additional memory of the computer, making the amount of memory available from the supercomputer, the computers' while in use.
This is the expected mode of operation of the memory-boost supercomputer, scientific and technical review will supplement it.
3.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Programming mode and design structure of Supercomputers for Random Access Memory (RAM) Upgrade will be the same as other supercomputers; just that performance consideration for sharing memory will have more programs added to the operating system and more memory than other supercomputers.
The supercomputer will share over 80% of its memory; the processing speed will aid its number of connections per minute. Making the large memory and processing speed useful for the RAM upgrade purpose.
An important set of programs for RAM upgrade is to build the software for use in computers because it will act as ‘hardware'. It will be required to connect with the RAM of the computer, get its size, send memory requested to the server and also act as the ‘virtual' RAM when the memory is made available.
There are processes that a computer RAM performs to function as the memory while the computer is in use. For example, the Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) has one transistor and one capacitor per bit. A separate capacitor within the Integrated circuit stores each bit of data. This process makes DRAM useful as a volatile memory and it loses it data when power is removed. [IBM, 1997]
The processes leading to saving and losing data will be performed by the supercomputer while the installed software presents an upgrade to the computer.
Memory to be made available to the computers may depend on the existing memory of the each computer but memory in excess of 1G should be provided by using this service.
The installed software will show processes performed by the virtual memory and help check validity of a user's subscription to the service. Other devices that use memory for graphics and other application that requires memory use will have access to the server if compatible software is developed for them. The internet remains the link between computer software and the server.
4.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
For corporations, organization doing large graphic designs or operating data warehouse can have extra memory to their computers in use whenever it is needed so long they have the software and remain connected to the internet.
This simple to use technology will have computers RAM upgraded as desired and will help increase output.
The Random Access Memory (RAM) upgrade feature will be useful in diverse ways than described here; for example, it will also be developed to enable common computer applications perform same function as the RAM upgrade software.
A web browser or a media player can also be used to boost the RAM of a computer; features to make it possible can be available by updating from a previous version to one that has been programmed to connect to the server. However, memory to be provided by such applications from the server maybe limited to the total memory it requires while in use in the computer.
Copyright owners of web browsers may have supercomputer for use with their applications; alternatively copyright owners may enter into an agreement with organizations that make the RAM upgrade supercomputers to help provide the service for their application. This may come at a price or with agreements.
When a computer user connects to the internet, opens his web browser, the browser opens and automatically gets some amount of memory to itself from the server, the memory is subject to change if the application requires more. Media, Graphics, and other Application packages may be updated for this also.
Since the software for RAM upgrade monitors the processes using the available memory to the computer; the processes will be encrypted because processes lie on users computer and does not get transferred to the server. This will help people know that server hands memory only, it does not save, spy or monitor processes on computers.
4.1 CONCLUSION
Computer programs are the lifeblood of this suggestion, once they are available; technology to make Supercomputers boost the Random Access Memory of computers will be available too. This research is related to cloud computing, because it presents ease in use of technology.
Advance technology helps to ease programs and processes; such advancement is presented in this paper. As described, the technology is at hand; sooner or later, a supercomputer many miles away will help to upgrade the Random Access Memory of computer several miles from it.
APPENDIX
Random Access Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM) of a computer is the most common computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; it is an integrated circuit memory chip that allows information to be stored or accessed in any order and all storage locations are equally accessible. It is a volatile memory because what it stores is erased when power is turned off. [ECE, 332]
Access time is the amount of time it takes the RAM to write data or read it once the request has been received from the processor. The value of access time usually varies and is measured in nanoseconds. [DCT, 2000]
Main RAM can be divided into Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). SRAM does not need to be recharged with power or information i.e. power refreshed and has a faster access than DRAM. SRAM is more expensive and requires four times the amount of space for a given amount of data than DRAM. Typical access time of SRAM is usually higher than that of DRAM. [DCT, 2000]
DRAM uses a kind of capacitor that needs frequent power refreshing to retain its charge since reading a DRAM discharges its contents, a power-refresh is required after each read. Apart from reading, just to maintain the charge that holds its content in place, DRAM is refreshed frequently. DRAM is the least expensive kind of RAM. [DCT, 2000]
RAM can be compared to a person's short term memory and the hard disk to the long term memory. The short term memory focuses on work at hand, but can only keep so many facts at a time. RAM is called ‘Random Access' because any storage location can be accessed directly. RAM is organized and controlled in a way that enables data to be stored and retrieved directly to specific locations. [DCT, 2000]
When a computer is switched on, the operating system and other files are loaded into the RAM, usually from the hard disk, if the RAM fills up, the microprocessor, needs to continually go to the hard disk to overlay old data in RAM with new ones, making the computer operation slow. RAM never gets completely full neither does it run out of memory; it rather operates much slowly. [DCT, 2000]
NOTATIONS
G Gigabyte is a unit of information equals to 1000 Megabyte
or 10^9 (1,000,000,000) bytes.
Terabyte A unit of information equal to 1000 Gigabyte
or 10^12 (1,000,000,000,000) bytes.
Petabyte A unit of Information equal to 1000 Terabyte
or 10^15 (1,000,000,000,000,000) bytes
Nanoseconds Is a unit of time equal to 1billionth of a second
Or 10^-9 (1/1000000000) seconds
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many thanks to Scientist all over the world who provided resources in writings, lectures and notes in Pure and Applied Sciences geared towards keeping Science as the Center of the world and Research as the center of Science.
REFERENCES
DCT, Informatics Kajang, (2000) Hand Out 4: Supplementary Notes 4, Microprocessor & Random Access Memory.
IBM (1997) Application Note: Understanding Static RAM Operation, pages 1-2
Peter Haugen, Ian Myers, Bret Sadler, John Whidden. "A Basic Overview of Commonly Encountered types of Random Access Memory (RAM)" ECE 332
Standards and Coordinating Committee 10 (Terms and Definitions)
Jane Radatz (Chair), (1996). The IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms, volume IEEE Std 100-1996. IEEE Publishing.
