Date: 22/12/2016

ARM acquires HPC/supercomputer software specialist Allinea

Processor core IP supplier ARM has acquired supercomputer software vendor Allinea Software. Although ARM has a huge share in the embedded, mobile and portable computing market, its processors are not used much in the high performance computers such as supercomputers. ARM has entered the server market in last 3/4 years, and is now trying to get into high-performance computing/supercomputer market.

This acquisition is aimed at strengthening its capability in HPC, so that its customers can be given processor core IP and also the software to debug and tune the high-performance computing design. ARM 64-bit ARMv8-A processor cores were used Fujitsu's powered Post K supercomputer, and the company has launched ARMv8-A Scalable Vector Extension.
ARM says ARMv8-A is the first alternative architecture with OpenHPC support, and the release of ARM Performance Libraries, which provide ease of software development and portability to ARMv8-A server platforms, added to this now is Allinea's software.

Majority of supercomputer developers are said to use Allinea's tools. The example of its customers include US Department of Energy, and NASA.

Javier Orensanz, general manager, development solutions group, ARM said "Allinea's ability to debug and analyze many-node systems is unique, and with this acquisition we are ensuring that this capability remains available to the whole ARM ecosystem, and to the other CPU architectures prevalent in HPC, as well as in future applications such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced data analytics."

ARM said Allinea will be integrated into the ARM business with all functions and Allinea's Warwick and Eastleigh locations retained. Allinea's former CEO David Lecomber will join the ARM development solutions group management team.