Elbrus-4C

Elbrus-4C is the quad-core universal high-performance processor with the improved architecture Elbrus. Clock rate of the processor - up to 800 MHz, technology regulation - 65 nanometers.

ADP equipment based on Elbrus-4C

In March, 2015 sales of the Elbrus 4.4 server based on the Elbrus-4C processor began. The device was developed by "INEUM named after I. Brook" together with MCST.

Later in 2015 the PC based on Elbrus-4C -Elbrus-401PC became also available.

Users of products on Elbrus-4C

2016: The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Pension fund test computers on Elbrus

From the moment of the beginning of sales of the Elbrus 401PC PC - one of the first devices on the Elbrus processor expected universal use - more than 150 copies of this product were implemented, representatives of MCST at the New Electronics exhibition in April, 2016 told TAdviser. To release the batch of the PC of 500 computers is planned.

Servers on the Elbrus-4C processor which sales began even earlier by April, 2016 it was sold less, than the PC. The decision on acquisition of "heavier" ADP equipment to customers is normal it is more difficult to accept, speak in MCST. Developers sound digit about 100 implemented servers. At the same time in plans – release of a batch of 300-500 devices for different customers.

On the Elbrus-4C processor different state structures and the companies with state participation are the main part of users of the new equipment, speak in MCST. Among the largest organizations which test the PC and servers for Elbrus-4C in the company called TAdviser of the Ministry of Internal Affairs,the Pension fund and Gazprom Transgaz company. The pension fund, in particular, tests servers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs – servers and the PC. Among the first PC users also – several software developers for the Russian Railway.

Sample Elbrus-401PC PC at the New Electronics 2016 exhibition

The processor is manufactured on Taiwan so far, and assembly of servers and PC – under the contract on platforms in Russia. On what, in MCST do not call. In 2015 spoke about intentions to produce ADP equipment on Elbrus processors in Kraftway and Akvariusa ^[1]. MCST told TAdviser that these producers want to release computers on Elbrus, but do not participate yet.

Added to MCST that Kraftway and Aquarius, perhaps, will produce the equipment based on the processor of the next generation – eight-nuclear Elbrus-8C with topology of 28 nanometers. In plans of MCST to begin with summer of 2016 production of the PC based on the eight-nuclear Elbrus-8C processor, and at the end of 2016 or at the beginning of 2017 - and release of servers.

Last year we saw significant growth of interest in the products. The policy of the state in the field of import substitution became one of the essential stimulating factors, - note in MCST. - Now we want to provide an opportunity to customers to try our computers and to be convinced that Elbrus can quite cope with tasks at the level of foreign processors.

The representative of the company says that servers on Elbrus are suitable, for example, for solving of tasks which can be solved using standard open source software. They can be used as database servers, application servers, Web servers. Very frequent case when the first customers use them under PostgreSQL DBMS, note in MCST. In addition to it servers can work also with Linter DBMS. Works and on porting on Elbrus of Red Database DBMS which is present at the register of domestic software are conducted.

Implementation of the domestic equipment gives a number of essential advantages both to the enterprises, and national economy, note in MCST. First, this reduction of dependence on the western technologies that is especially relevant against the background of sanctions. Secondly, increase in level of information security at the enterprises: in foreign products there can be tabs and undocumented opportunities while developers of Elbrus guarantee their absence and are ready to provide source codes of the products. As one more advantage the representative of MCST designated the fact that the means obtained for computers remain in Russia, but do not leave abroad.

2015: The first sales of servers

In November, 2015 at the Fourth National Supercomputer Forum (NSKF-2015) the representative of MCST Konstantin Trushkin told TAdviser about start of sales of the first servers based on the Elbrus processor. According to him, since production launch in March about 20 servers were implemented so far. As much again the company expects to sell until the end of 2015.

Small sales volumes "4.4" in the company connect Elbrus with several factors, and one of key is the price. Representatives of defense industry enterprises, for example, in an interview of TAdviser noted that at the technician's price on Elbrus for them so far "at all not option"^[2] and that it "very expensive to"^[3].

Trushkin says that customers compare their servers at the price to standard servers which are on sale in "tens of thousands of pieces": "Give us the order for ten thousand pieces and we will give the relevant price". He added that it is possible to tell about some reduction of price at release of a batch of servers from 1,000 pieces. If to manufacture servers in China, it would also allow to reduce their cost, but in that case will speak more difficult about them as about the Russian product whereas now production of motherboards and assembly of servers are in Russia, the representative of MCST added.

The representative of MCST added that customers often compare their 4-processor servers to foreign servers, in which 1 or 2 processors while it is different classes of ADP equipment both by opportunities, and on production costs. 4-processor servers always are more expensive 2-or 1-processor, because of more difficult printed circuit boards, bigger volume of the purchased component parts, and the set from 4 processors is more expensive than two processors, he says.

The name of the organizations which purchased the first servers "Elbrus 4.4" in the company are preferred not to be opened. According to Trushkin, now they are bought, generally federal executive authorities for the purpose of import substitution, reacting to the changed political situation. Interest in a product is shown also by defense industry enterprises, he added.

Elbrus 4.4 server, 2015

Speaking about for what tasks, first of all, the purchased servers are used, Trushkin called "typical" their application as database servers. Most often customers use here DBMS PostgreSQL. In addition, "Elbrus 4.4" are used for web services, in quality DWH and at a number of customers - for departmental applied tasks.

Konstantin Trushkin told TAdviser that MCST conducts work on optimizing Elbrus for use in the field of telecommunications: program switching and routing of packets, for a video conferencing. According to him, in this sphere Elbrus has a high potential.

Specifications

Elbrus-4C (2014) processor

Elbrus-4C is a system on a crystal, contains 4 computing cores, a cache memory of the 2nd level with a total amount of 8 Megabytes, 3 controllers of memory, 3 channels of interprocessor exchange and input-output channel.

Operating clock rate of a chip 800 MHz. The crystal is executed on technology regulation of 65 nanometers, the average power dissipation capability of 45 W. There are means for considerable decrease in power dissipation capability. Each core of the processor decodes and sends for execution up to 23 transactions for a clock period.

Sphere of use of Elbrus-4C microprocessors:

• servers,
• desktop computers,
• the powerful built-in calculators intended for work in spheres with increased requirements to aspects:
• information security
• operating range of temperatures
• duration of product lifecycle

Features of architecture Elbrus allow to use effectively the Elbrus-4C processor in the systems of digital intellectual signal processing, in mathematical modeling, scientific computations and other spheres with increased requirements to computing power.