"Difficult child" of Rostec: one of the most powerful computer systems in Russia launched

According to the FTP "Development of defense industry complex for 2007-2010 and until 2015" one of the companies as a part of Rostec -"Solnechnogorsk Instrument Plant" (SIP) - implements the project on modernization of the enterprise to create the center of computer simulation of industrial output on its base.

Main objective of they are to provide industrial enterprises, first of all, the enterprises of the defense industry complex (DIC), high-performance computing resources. The center is going to provide the round-the-clock remote access to computing resources and also the solution of subject tasks of customers in whole or in part. The last includes, including, development, verification of models and methodology of calculations and also adaptation and completion of parallel software.

Design peak capacity of the computer system of the center is 1.5 Pflops. In the rating of Top-500 of the most powerful supercomputers of the world for June, 2017 from Russia only two systems of comparable power are stated - their peak capacity is 1.7 Pflops and 2.9 Pflops. Both of them are set in MSU.

The platform under placement of the equipment of the center of computer simulation SPZ rents at the Ruselectronics who is a part "Scientific Research Institute Platan in the city of Fryazino situated near Moscow

Follows from documents SPZ that the plant should execute a role of the commercial operator of the center. Physically capital equipment is placed on the platform in Fryazino rented at "Scientific Research Institute Platan which is a part of Ruselectronics. The long-term lease agreement was signed in 2013. The total area of the rented platform is more than 2.6 thousand sq.m.

Project Progress

2018

Start of computer center

In 2018 the "Solnechnogorsk Instrument Plant" (SIP) which is a part of Rostec put the center of high-performance computing and modeling into operation. It follows from the annual report of the company published in July, 2019. Earlier the company did not report about it.

The way to the beginning of operation was slow and thorny: creation of the center was conducted since 2012 and repeatedly faced difficulties (see the history of creation in blocks below). The initial time frame of its start was specified still 2014, but then was repeatedly transferred.

Rated peak capacity of the calculator was 1.5 Pflops. In To Ruselectronics (also enters into Rostec), reported to TAdviser that this indicator of the computer system put into operation exceeds project, without having specified, how significantly. According to rating top-50 the most powerful supercomputers Russia, the most productive is Lomonosov-2, set century MSU. Its peak capacity – 2.5 Pflops.

Creation of the center of calculations and modeling went since 2012 (a photo - rtinform.ru)

The equipment for the calculator was supplied by T-Platforms, but, it seems, by the time of start it is already a little morally obsolete: in the annual report of SPZ it is specified that in 2018 offers on replacement of separate items of equipment were developed. It will allow to equip computer center with the "most modern equipment" providing high-performance computing explains SPZ in the same place. And in 2018 the work on approval of this replacement with Minpromtorg of Russia was completed, it is told in the report.

Ruselectronics told TAdviser that the annual report contains a technical error. And actually offers on replacement of the equipment were developed in 2016 and in 2017 are approved by Minpromtorg. The equipment was supplied in 2017-2018 by the same supplier - T-Platforms. According to Ruselectronics, in the center put into operation the computing equipment of 2016-2017 of release is used.

In the annual report of SPZ it is specified that priority activity of the center is providing the organizations of defense industry complex with the necessary high-performance computing powers allowing to carry out computational modeling and engineering calculations.

Speaking about the competition in the market, Ruselectronics told TAdviser that for the last few years it increased only in a segment of classical DPCs while in a segment of providing supercomputer resources, on the contrary, deficit of offers is observed.

Every year among industrial enterprises practice of use of computational modeling extends more and more, respectively, also the needs for supercomputer resources grow. At the same time the limited number of the supercomputers available to lease is presented at the market, and use of normal DPCs for the solution of similar tasks is not effective because of features of architecture, - explained TAdviser in the company.

According to base " circuit.focus ", in 2018 the computer center of Rostec had the first profile client according to the government contract: Federal State Unitary Enterprise State Scientific Research Institute of the Aviation Systems. The agreement about 251 million rubles on rendering services in providing in lease of computing resources was signed with it.

As of July, 2019, the website of SPZ on the Internet looks outdated, it contains a little practical information on the provided services. In the description of vacancies which SPZ placed in 2019, it is said that the company transforms the image: change of the name, branding, development of the website is planned.

In addition to high-performance computing and modeling on which it was initially staked during creation of the center, among its core activities now: also the analysis, processing and data storage, cloud computing, training of neural networks are mentioned.

The total amount of financing of the project specified in the annual report is about 2.2 billion rubles. Of them about 1.5 billion rubles were made by a contribution of Rostec to authorized capital of society. The share of Rostec in the company, according to the report, in 2018 made 100%.

Revenue of SPZ in 2018 - 26.4 million rubles that makes 50% of planned. The company finished year at a loss 49.13 million rubles. But the loss was also planned, however, smaller: the loss was provided in 27.8 million rubles.

The main factors which affected a financial and economic status of the organization is late commissioning of an object and insufficient contracting of revenue and also postponement of implementation of non-core assets (SPZ property complex) for 2019, the company explains these indicators of activity in the annual report.

2017

T-Platforms will pay a penalty of 280 million rubles

In July, 2017 the Court of Appeal approved the settlement agreement between the "Solnechnogorsk Instrument Plant" (SIP) entering into Rostec and the supercomputer company "T-Platforms" which is his contractor on creation of the large Center of computer simulation. The relevant resolution was published in the Electronic Justice system.

Follows from the court order that T-Platforms completely recognized a penalty under the contract of 2014 for supply of equipment for the center of modeling and undertake to pay it. The size of a penalty is about 281.5 million rubles from October, 2015 till February, 2017.

Earlier the court of first instance obliged the company to pay a penalty of SPZ, however T-Platforms did not agree with this court's decision and were going to dispute it (in more detail about it is in the block below).

Besides, within the settlement agreement of the party agreed to make changes to the agreement of 2014 because of which the lawsuit was tied. Changes, in particular, are made to specifications of the equipment and delivery dates. According to the new arrangement, T-Platforms should supply the equipment till November 1 and execute its installation and a commissioning till December 1, 2017.

The equipment which T-Platforms had to deliver for the Center of computer simulation of Rostec became already outdated

Unlike the solution of the first instance, are not provided in the resolution of Court of Appeal of the specification of the equipment. SPZ sent to court the petition for application to new specifications of the equipment, the size and a payment procedure of a penalty of a signature stamp Trade secret. In spite of the fact that the court dismissed this petition, in the list of contract documents to which changes should be made, the technical project and specifications of the equipment are marked as confidential.

In a MIC, managing SPZ, in February, 2017 said that from the moment of formation of the project documentation a number of technological solutions on which the project initially was based already became outdated.

Rostec told TAdviser that the center of modeling will be put into operation by the end of the year according to planned dates. Taking into account the shift of terms of construction, the specification of the equipment is considerably reviewed. As a result T-Platforms will supply more modern and productive equipment, at the same time the price of the contract remains the same, added in Rostec. ​ Details about the new equipment in state corporation were decided not to be disclosed.

For 2016 follows from the report of SPZ that instead of T-Platforms in 2016 SPZ considered Niagra company as the new contractor on the project. Rostec did not comment on TAdviser whether it as a result was approved on replacement to T-Platforms.

Rostec begins to have legal proceedings with T-Platforms

The conflict of the "Solnechnogorsk Instrument Plant" (SIP) entering into Rostec and the supercomputer company "T-Platforms" working for it at the contract at the problem megaproject on creation of the Center of computer simulation passed in the spring of 2017 into a sharp phase. The arbitration court of Moscow in the claim of the plant obliged T-Platforms to pay a penalty in the amount of one million p281.5 for the equipment undelivered and unmounted in time^[1].

As it appears from the materials placed in the Electronic Justice system, this claim was submitted by the plant on February 16, 2016, and the decision on case was made exactly in a year — on February 16, 2017.

Trial concerned the contract of T-Platforms with SPZ for the amount of p1.24 of one billion signed in December, 2014. Initially in its framework T-Platforms had to deliver "iron" till October 10, 2015, and till October 25, 2015 to carry out mounting commissioning. Because of the arisen conflict at the moment, upon, neither that, nor another is made. At the same time the court's decision on penalty made now does not remove these obligations from the contractor.

The representative of T-Platforms Elena Churakova reported CNews that the company does not agree with court's decision and prepares the petition for appeal which will submit in the nearest future. "We consider that requirements of the claimant are not subject to satisfaction — she told. — We continue to solve this problem in cooperation with the claimant. Meanwhile, works on project implementation are continued, there is a common understanding of the further course of the project, dates of termination of implementation now in the course of approval".

In a MIC emphasize that the perspective of the matter is much deeper. "Possibilities of information technologies, including in Russia, quickly progress — interlocutors of CNews say. — Today they not those that were one or two years ago, not to mention years when the project documentation formed. To the final stage of construction of the Center a number of technological solutions on which the project initially was based, simply speaking, became outdated".

In a MIC consider now that supply of old "iron" to an object of such level — unacceptable, and it both customers, and contractors understand the scenario. "Therefore there are negotiations, the new specification forms — note in the company. — It is clear, that terms are reviewed too. However the result is worth it: on an object as a result will the latest equipment is supplied. On performance and level of information security this equipment will correspond to all modern calls".

Representatives of a MIC assured CNews that if someone has an impression that the project "rolled" in courts, then it is wrong. "In general today the project is in a high stage of readiness — in full works more than 60% of actions are executed" — interlocutors added.

According to court documents, the nomenclature of delivery of not performed contract includes 1034 servers of data processing T-Platforms V-Class V210S, 88 servers of data processing T-Platforms V-Class V210F, a computing cluster of A-Class Systemaka T-BladeIII, 34 office T-Platforms servers.

Also four multiprocessor SuperMicro SuperServer 4048B-TRFT servers, the multiprocessor SGI UV2000 server, a set of access servers to data of V-Class V20Qs, four access servers to metadata of Intel Server System S2600WTT had to enter delivery.

From the rest we will select that T-Platforms had to organize network of the data warehouse on the equipment QLogic and EMC and also storage on "iron" of Oracle and EMC.

2016: Start postponement

The new term of start of the center of computer simulation based on "The Solnechnogorsk instrument plant" which was initially going to be put into operation in December, 2014 is designated December, 2017 now. It follows from reporting documents of the company for 2015.

In the same place it is said that in 2015 the company did not plan and did not perform the capital investments in investment projects which for it creation of the center is. According to the annual report, In 2015 for 75% installation and construction works on preparation of the areas for placement of the center of computer simulation were completed and all volume of the infrastructure equipment is delivered, the equipment of a storage system is supplied.

Data on that how many ADP equipment is already delivered, are not provided in the report, however there it is said that the volume of the equipment supplied to "The Solnechnogorsk instrument plant" within project implementation is contracted for 100%.

Rostec told TAdviser that as of the middle of 2016 the project is at a high stage of construction readiness, the engineering and providing infrastructure is completely unrolled, "a considerable part" of the computing equipment is delivered.

In 2015-2016 implementation went with an insignificant deviation of planned dates due to the need making changes in a technology part of the project, - told in state corporation.

At the same time, it is known that in 2015 T-Platforms delayed delivery of the computing equipment for the center of modeling under the contract of December, 2014 which total amount is about 1.2 billion rubles. With respect thereto "The Solnechnogorsk instrument plant" in February, 2016 took legal action with the claim to T-Platforms, requiring to collect from the supplier a penalty in the amount of 70.9 million rubles. Information on it contains in a card file of arbitration cases.

T-Platforms and Rostec could not answer questions of TAdviser of delivery delay.

2015: Supply of equipment for 1.2 billion rubles

In February, 2015 T-Platforms took out on the agenda of the forthcoming shareholder meeting approval of large deal from SPZ concerning supply of equipment and its installation for the center of computer simulation. Approval of the transaction was made backdating: date of signing of the contract with SPZ the end of December, 2014 is specified.

The volume of the agreement was more than 1.235 billion rubles, and delivery dates of the equipment are designated by the end of March, 2015.

Blade servers make the main part of supply of equipment for the center of modeling of SPZ which needs to be performed until the end of March, 2015

In addition to T-Platforms of SPZ also considered offers from the companies Depo Computers and Aquarius. One of arguments for benefit of the choice of T-Platforms as the supplier was the fact that the company acted as the contractor according to the delivery agreement of the first stage of the equipment for the center of modeling: SPZ considered inexpedient to change the supplier "for reasons of preserving of the general standardization of the supplied equipment".

In the project documentation it is specified that within the agreement for the center of modeling of SPZ it is necessary to deliver more than 1100 servers of data processing, more than three tens office servers, a set of servers of remote visualization, the data warehouse and other equipment.

In addition to servers of production of T-Platforms as a part of delivery ADP equipment and some other vendors is also specified: for example, SuperMicro servers SGI, Intel and workstations of a system of access to the Depo Computers resources.

2013-2014

Creation of infrastructure, the first supplies of equipment

At the end of June, 2013 SPZ signed the delivery agreement of the first stage of the equipment and accomplishment of a complex of setup and installation works with T-Platforms company. Contract amount was 590 million rubles. Start of the first stage of the equipment was planned for the end of December, 2013.

In December, 2013 SPZ signed one more agreement - on delivery of the second queue of the equipment for the organization of the center of computer simulation to total amount of 250.9 million rubles.

In the fall of 2014 in T-Platforms told TAdviser that contracts which were signed on this project earlier concerned infrastructure and DWH, the computing equipment was not supplied yet.

According to technical specifications to the first contract, the supplied equipment about 1.4 thousand servers of storage and data processing, a part of which - on processors with architecture of x86, and a part - with use and graphic coprocessors were listed. At the time of the conclusion of this contract with SPZ "T-Platforms" were under the sanctions of the USA imposed against the company in March, 2013 and could not deliver goods using electronic components from the American producers. The company was excluded from the sanctions list in January, 2014.

T-Platforms told TAdviser that delivered engineering infrastructure which did not contain the equipment controlled by the export legislation of the USA. Added to the companies that nothing controlled the export legislation was delivered: "We could not deliver everything that was controlled by the export legislation, it was delivered by other companies", the representative of T-Platforms told. What companies participated in delivery, in T-Platforms preferred not to specify.

Trigger delay of the center

In the fall of 2014 in T-Platforms told TAdviser that the date of final delivery of a complex in operation was postponed, at the same time there is no exact new date yet. The source in Rostec in brief explained TAdviser that taking into account industry specifics of the center in the course of its creation there was a number of questions, connected with information security and import substitution which are still not solved. He also confirmed that new date of input of the center in operation is not defined yet.

2012: Approval of documentation, beginning of the project

The project documentation for creation of the center of modeling was approved at the end of 2012. The term of its input in operation, according to reporting documents SPZ, was initially designated December, 2014.

Purpose of the Center of computer simulation

According to the website of SPZ, the Center of computer simulation is created in pursuance of the decree of the President of Russia of May 7, 2012 No. 596. The center will be able to provide to the scientific and production organizations and also the enterprises and the companies access to supercomputer resources, software and examination. As a result data of the organization as it is supposed, will be able to solve subject problems, to carry out serial production calculations, to create high-precision models of products and so forth.

According to initial plans, the hybrid computing cluster — on processors of classical architecture of x86 with graphic accelerators — with a peak capacity of 1.5 of Pflops should make a basis of the Center. The total amount of a storage system had to be 5 PB

According to media, the project documentation for creation of the Center was approved at the end of 2012. The term of its commissioning, according to reporting documents SPZ, was initially limited December, 2014.

Stuffing of the center

Based on SPZ the hybrid computing cluster (architecture of X86 plus accelerators) with the overall peak capacity of 1.5 of Pflops should form a basis of the center of computer simulation of industrial output. For comparison, the similar indicator of the most powerful system of rating of Top-50 of the most powerful computers of Russia and the CIS as of the middle of 2014 set in MSU made 1.7 Pflops.Rosatom has a computer system of petaFLOPS performance level which is not present at the rating of Top-50 also.

The planned total amount of a storage system of a computing cluster is 5 PB. Also he will turn on engineering infrastructure with reservation of N+1 level, multi-user licenses for the application software, cloud computing environment, secure channels of communication for ensuring remote access, etc.

Funding plan

According to reports of SPZ, the extreme amount of financing of the project approved at the end of 2012 is 2.78 billion rubles, including means of the federal budget – 849.1 million rubles and extrabudgetary funds - 1.93 billion rubles.

In 2012-2013 for the purpose of attraction of budgetary funds under the project between Rostec and SPZ the property contribution of the Russian Federation in the amount about 841 million rubles in the authorized capital of SPZ in exchange for its actions was defined. After SPZ performed additional issue of shares, the share of Rostec in the company by the end of 2013 reached 62.4% (the second shareholder of SPZ is the Russian Federation on behalf of Rosimushchestvo).