Source : Computing
Cutting-edge IT plays key role in Ferrari car development
The role of cutting-edge high-performance computing will be crucial to the success of Ferrari this year.
The company’s racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, is banking on the latest dual-core microprocessor technology and a recent migration to 64-bit computer systems to regain the Formula One (F1) title it has won an unprecedented 14 times, but lost last year.
Antonio Calabrese, head of information systems at Ferrari F1 racing team, told Computing at the launch of the 2006 car in Italy that tight development cycles and huge data analysis requirements to design, test and race the car consume vast IT resources.
‘Our mission is to push the limits every time,’ he said.
‘In the past three years we’ve done a lot in terms of consolidating the IT platforms and high-performance computing systems, not just in simulation but in all situations where high-performance computing is used.’
Earlier this year the team installed its highest-performing servers to date at the Maranello headquarters data centre.
The modelling of telemetry, car design, track conditions and race strategy is carried out using powerful three-dimensional software.
Onboard car systems regulate the engine and gearbox and control electronic systems such as traction control. In an average race, one gigabyte of data can flow between the car and its monitoring systems.
Calabrese says running millions of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations, as well as aerodynamic research development and testing, requires more processing power to reduce simulation times.
‘It is difficult to meet the demands of the tight cycle of car development. There’s no time to shut down systems,’ he said.
‘The first priority is that there is no time to interrupt the data centre service; the second is to deliver maximum power to systems on a race day without fail.’
The Ferrari IT systems and data centre use technology from vendor and team sponsor AMD.
Ferrari runs specialist modelling and data analysis software on Linux, with 400-node, dual-core Opteron server clusters that use 64-bit processing technology to support greater memory, larger data sets and more demanding applications.
‘The design and manufacture of an F1 car is a new challenge every year,’ said Calabrese.
‘The breakthrough this year was the double-core technology. It has given new performance and solidity to the IT systems.’
The dual-core system is key to running 64-bit analytical software called Fluent. The server upgrade to dual-core Opteron processor-based servers has also increased performance.
The 400-node configuration enables the extra memory provided by the 64-bit processors to run higher-demand computing systems with extra functionality.
‘Dual-core has been a chance to upgrade our systems without any big effort in terms of configuration of the systems. It is just substituting the processor and in some cases upgrading the Bios,’ said Calabrese.
‘It is simple and easy use of the technology. I am tired of technology that is difficult to upgrade; this migration was seamless.’
Calabrese says Ferrari plans to upgrade to dual-core technology to run other systems.
But the company’s high-performance computing also needs to extend to analysing telemetry data during a race. This can influence pit stop, tyre pre ssure and fuel load strategy. Speed of analysis here can be crucial.
Opteron-based systems run pit computers. There are two AMD technicians on hand to fine tune operations, and staff use AMD laptops and PC workstations.
Ferrari’s recent investment in IT coincided with new rules from F1 governing body the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which required the team to build a totally new engine.
‘We have completely redesigned the car this season. We had to reconsider every point, from the engine to the chassis and aerodynamics,’ said Calabrese.
‘The faster processing power we have been able to harness is why we were able to deliver a completely new engine.’
Ferrari F1 team technical director Ross Brawn says developing the 2006 car was more intensive than before.
‘We had to rethink the overall functioning of the engine, so the development phase has been quite lengthy,’ he said.
Ferrari race driver Michael Schumacher said: ‘Telemetry data is very important to us. Our computer systems have been crucial.’
Cutting-edge IT plays key role in Ferrari car development
The role of cutting-edge high-performance computing will be crucial to the success of Ferrari this year.
The company’s racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, is banking on the latest dual-core microprocessor technology and a recent migration to 64-bit computer systems to regain the Formula One (F1) title it has won an unprecedented 14 times, but lost last year.
Antonio Calabrese, head of information systems at Ferrari F1 racing team, told Computing at the launch of the 2006 car in Italy that tight development cycles and huge data analysis requirements to design, test and race the car consume vast IT resources.
‘Our mission is to push the limits every time,’ he said.
‘In the past three years we’ve done a lot in terms of consolidating the IT platforms and high-performance computing systems, not just in simulation but in all situations where high-performance computing is used.’
Earlier this year the team installed its highest-performing servers to date at the Maranello headquarters data centre.
The modelling of telemetry, car design, track conditions and race strategy is carried out using powerful three-dimensional software.
Onboard car systems regulate the engine and gearbox and control electronic systems such as traction control. In an average race, one gigabyte of data can flow between the car and its monitoring systems.
Calabrese says running millions of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations, as well as aerodynamic research development and testing, requires more processing power to reduce simulation times.
‘It is difficult to meet the demands of the tight cycle of car development. There’s no time to shut down systems,’ he said.
‘The first priority is that there is no time to interrupt the data centre service; the second is to deliver maximum power to systems on a race day without fail.’
The Ferrari IT systems and data centre use technology from vendor and team sponsor AMD.
Ferrari runs specialist modelling and data analysis software on Linux, with 400-node, dual-core Opteron server clusters that use 64-bit processing technology to support greater memory, larger data sets and more demanding applications.
‘The design and manufacture of an F1 car is a new challenge every year,’ said Calabrese.
‘The breakthrough this year was the double-core technology. It has given new performance and solidity to the IT systems.’
The dual-core system is key to running 64-bit analytical software called Fluent. The server upgrade to dual-core Opteron processor-based servers has also increased performance.
The 400-node configuration enables the extra memory provided by the 64-bit processors to run higher-demand computing systems with extra functionality.
‘Dual-core has been a chance to upgrade our systems without any big effort in terms of configuration of the systems. It is just substituting the processor and in some cases upgrading the Bios,’ said Calabrese.
‘It is simple and easy use of the technology. I am tired of technology that is difficult to upgrade; this migration was seamless.’
Calabrese says Ferrari plans to upgrade to dual-core technology to run other systems.
But the company’s high-performance computing also needs to extend to analysing telemetry data during a race. This can influence pit stop, tyre pre ssure and fuel load strategy. Speed of analysis here can be crucial.
Opteron-based systems run pit computers. There are two AMD technicians on hand to fine tune operations, and staff use AMD laptops and PC workstations.
Ferrari’s recent investment in IT coincided with new rules from F1 governing body the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which required the team to build a totally new engine.
‘We have completely redesigned the car this season. We had to reconsider every point, from the engine to the chassis and aerodynamics,’ said Calabrese.
‘The faster processing power we have been able to harness is why we were able to deliver a completely new engine.’
Ferrari F1 team technical director Ross Brawn says developing the 2006 car was more intensive than before.
‘We had to rethink the overall functioning of the engine, so the development phase has been quite lengthy,’ he said.
Ferrari race driver Michael Schumacher said: ‘Telemetry data is very important to us. Our computer systems have been crucial.’
