issue 02 // summer 07

Transformations a quarterly publication from

Q&A with Jen-Hsun Huang NVIDIA® Tesla™ High-Performance Computing features NVIDIA Transforms the Automotive Industry Your Life Enhanced with 3D Graphics Leadership in DirectX 10 Games Improving Education in South Africa

At our Analyst Day in June, Jen-Hsun and the executive team delivered a clear message: “The GPU is extending into new markets and devices.” It was fitting that Analyst Day was the venue for the launch of Tesla, our new product line for high-performance computing. Tesla is a disruptive technology. It places an unprecedented amount of computing power into the hands of scientists a and engineers, transforming today’s into ‘personal .’ We believe word Tesla products will be used to solve some of the most difficult challenges that exist today, in important areas like financial risk analysis, molecular biology, and medical diagnostics. With from 128 parallel processors delivering up to 518 gigaflops of parallel computation, the GPU has truly mike become one of the world’s most powerful processing technologies.

Michael W. Hara vice president investor relations and communications

issue two // summer 07 // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com transformations // Q&A wih Jen-Hsun Huang

we've created a new GPU architecture that can make massive computational resources, which are otherwise used for graphics processing, available “We don’t build things to high-performance computing applications. We call this new GPU “Tesla.” With up to a that our competitors several hundred times increase in performance, Tesla can enable scientists and engineers to are building; we build utilize simulation, rather than cumbersome experimental techniques, to dramatically improve things we believe the their productivity. Scientists working with Tesla have already reduced simulation times from world will need.” weeks to hours. I believe we've created the modern high-performance architecture – a CPU, a GPU for data-parallel processing, and a GPU for graphics processing. We are Q&A entering the era of the personal supercomputing, where complex simulations will be performed With Jen-Hsun Huang and the results visualized in real time. president and ceo, nvidia corporation

Fiscal 2007 was a record year for What are the implications of Tesla You often refer to NVIDIA’s unique NVIDIA. Why are GPUs doing so well (NVIDIA’s newest product line) in the culture. How is NVIDIA’s culture tied to in the market? high-performance computing arena? the success of the company?

JH: The GPU () is computer vision applications that you will see JH: There has been a looming crisis in JH: One of our greatest assets is our culture of becoming one of the most important processors in the future. In fact, many of the compelling supercomputing. Fundamentally (since Cray's innovation and execution. NVIDIA drives one of the in the computer. There are several reasons why new applications today are enabled by the invention of vector processing) no new computing most relentless paces in the technology industry, this is happening: GPU – from the rich user interfaces of the technology has been created to specifically so execution is key to our strategy and leadership. First, computer graphics is becoming Mac to 3D maps from Google Earth. address the challenges of processing a massive At the same time we are highly regarded for our increasingly central to the computing The GPU is one of the most important amount of data. And since the structure of the imagination and spirit of innovation. At the core of experience. Information expressed in a technology choices for millions of computer modern computer industry makes it unlikely our culture is a capacity to imagine, to take risks, visual way is more delightful, exciting, and users – from the gamer to the creative that a computer company will invest billions and to have the willingness to make mistakes. After captivating. Computer graphics technology professional, and now, due to our initiatives in in R&D to create a processor specifically for all, not all ideas are good ideas. Many ideas lead to enables application developers to realize GPU Computing, the scientist endeavoring in high-performance computing, processing dead ends, some become embarrassing mistakes, their imagination and make us part of it. fundamental research. Because the GPU is speeds have fallen significantly behind the and many cost time and money. But that's the Second, we have invested billions of dollars so central to today's computing experience, demands from scientists. Yet there are important innovation process. We know that trial and error over the years in GPU R&D, driving a rapid an increasing portion of the system budget discoveries that are just beyond our reach is an integral part of discovery. I really love this increase in processing power, flexibility, and is shifting to the GPU. I expect billions of that can meaningfully advance humanity. The about our company: we’re willing to take risks programmability. This has enhanced the GPUs to be sold over the next decade. We challenge is to create a processor architecture and and put ourselves on the line, to try out an idea versatility of the GPU and made it possible will serve the markets with our industry- programming model that will allow data parallel and see if it works. Tesla is a great example of this for all kinds of exciting applications to utilize leading brands: GeForce® for the enjoyment applications to achieve high throughput, near spirit of innovation and the imagination to create its power – from enhancing photos and of digital experiences, NVIDIA Quadro® linear scalability, and ease of programming. a new market. At NVIDIA, we don’t build things adding effects to home videos, to innovative for the creation of digital content, and now Learning from nearly five years of R&D and that our competitors are building; we build things Tesla for exploration and discovery. partnerships with researchers around the world, we believe the world will need. We build things that will change the world. I absolutely believe that this passion for innovation will drive our long- term success and our relevance to the world.

transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com professional transformations // NVIDIA Tesla – GPU Computing Solutions for HPC solutions

NVIDIA Tesla A New Architecture for the High-Performance Computing Market

High-performance NVIDIA took a giant step in meeting this are much harder to analyze, such as the Computing. Because many workstations NVIDIA CUDA computing (hpc) in fields challenge with the announcement this recent Jack Field discovery in the Gulf used in the oil and gas industry are like the geosciences, quarter of a new class of processors of Mexico, where oil was found at more already outfitted with GPUs, much of Computing on NVIDIA Tesla is available to any software developer through NVIDIA molecular biology, and based on a revolutionary new GPU. than 20,000 feet under the sea floor. To the hardware infrastructure to exploit CUDA, the world's only C-language development environment for the GPU. CUDA Under the Tesla brand, NVIDIA now discover and interpret these reservoirs, this technology is already in place. As medical diagnostics enables is a complete software development solution that includes a C-compiler for the offers a family of GPU Computing it is necessary to acquire and process a result, companies are poised to start GPU, debugger/profiler, dedicated driver, and standard libraries. CUDA simplifies discoveries that transform products that will place the power huge amounts of seismic data. Due to taking advantage of this new technology parallel computing on the GPU by using the standard C language to create millions of lives every day. previously available only from the complexity of the sediment layers, immediately. As Steve Briggs, VP of programs that process large quantities of data in parallel. Programs written with However, universities, research supercomputers into the hands of better resolution is needed in the images, Systems Integration at Headwave, CUDA and run on Tesla are able to process thousands of threads simultaneously, institutions, and companies every scientist and engineer. Today’s which means acquiring even more data. stated: "NVIDIA Tesla is going to make providing high computational throughput to enable the GPU to quickly solve in these and other fields face workstations will be transformed Headwave, utilizing NVIDIA GPU discovery of huge oil reserves possible complex, computational problems. The NVIDIA CUDA development environment into “personal supercomputers.” Computing technology, allows through faster and more accurate a daunting challenge: as the is currently supported on the Linux and Microsoft Windows XP operating systems. Applications that will benefit from the geophysicists to apply advanced filters interpretation of geophysical data." complexity of their simulation new Tesla solutions include geophysical to their data and instantly see results models grows exponentially, analysis (with application speedups even on multi-terabyte datasets. In so does their need for vast up to 100X), antenna addition, geophysicists can analyze computational resources. simulations (speedups up to 45X), the original acquired seismic (“pre- molecular dynamics (speedups up to stack”) data in multiple dimensions 240X), neuron simulation (speedups up as part of their daily workflow. The The new NVIDIA Tesla family includes to 100X), MRI processing (speedups processing of these terabyte datasets up to 415X), and atmospheric cloud traditionally required months of manual NVIDIA Tesla GPU Computing NVIDIA Tesla Deskside , NVIDIA Tesla GPU Computing , simulations (speedups up to 50X). labor and compute time for number Processor, a dedicated computing a scalable computing system that a 1U server housing up to eight Tesla For example, Houston-based crunching. With NVIDIA, Headwave board that scales to multiple Tesla includes two Tesla GPUs and attaches to GPUs, containing more than 1000 parallel Headwave Solutions Inc. specializes in is able to increase compute rates GPUs inside a single PC or . a PC or workstation through an industry- processors that add teraflops of parallel geophysical data analysis in the area by up to 100X, while reducing time The Tesla GPU features 128 parallel standard PCI-Express connection. With processing to clusters. The Tesla GPU of oil and gas exploration, which is spent in manual operations. processors and delivers up to 518 multiple deskside systems, a standard server is the first server system of its kind becoming increasingly more difficult. Working with terabyte data sets in gigaflops of parallel computation. The PC or workstation is transformed to bring GPU Computing to the datacenter. Large reservoirs are now found at real time would not have been possible GPU Computing processor can be into a personal supercomputer, greater depths and in sediments that without the recent advances in GPU used in existing systems partnered delivering up to eight teraflops of with high-performance CPUs. compute power to the desktop.

For more NVIDIA Tesla product information, please visit www.nvidia.com/tesla

transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com professional transformations // NVIDIA Transforms the Automotive Industry solutions

By conducting 3D evaluations of new vehicles on NVIDIA- equipped workstations, car manufacturers can now make critical design decisions faster and earlier.

NVIDIA volvo image copyright © 2006 mfx / percival productions. www.mfx.se Transforms the Automotive Industry

By conducting 3D evaluations of new vehicles on NVIDIA-equipped workstations, car data to be computed on a mainframe producers and photographers at the From design to production to manufacturers can now make critical design decisions faster and earlier. computer by another company. Now, physical location, a process that often marketing, the NVIDIA GPU has found when engineers need to process large took months and could cost many its place in the automotive industry data sets, they have the power at their thousands of dollars. Now with the by adding value to real-time, specific The auto industry has long used Visualization Simulation fingertips within the timeframe that photorealistic rendering capabilities of problems in innovative ways. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools One stage to which NVIDIA adds Another important step in the creation of works best for them and the company. NVIDIA GPUs, the 3D model can be value is the early visualization process. a new automobile is testing how all the running on NVIDIA GPUs as an integral Marketing and Advertising inserted into existing imagery of the By conducting 3D evaluations of materials that make up the car would part of the design process. When the Finally, when the car is almost ready French Alps. The cost is much lower, new vehicles on NVIDIA-equipped perform in a crash. In the past, crash first commercial CAD packages came to hit the market, the 3D CAD model but the impact of the advertising is workstations, car manufacturers can simulations would be conducted with to market, automotive companies is used for photorealistic rendering just as compelling. The time it takes now make critical design decisions a physical mockup of a car, which took quickly moved away from drawing for television advertising and other to produce the ad is reduced to faster and earlier. With GPUs, life-sized weeks and cost several hundreds of boards and clay models into the world marketing materials. In the past, if a about a month and the ad production car models can be displayed on a 3D thousands of dollars. Now, with NVIDIA- of 3D computer graphics, saving time, car company planned to shoot video doesn’t depend on the availability wall, where designers and executives enabled workstations, crashes can be energy, and money. Now with new footage of a car racing through the of physical models of the cars. are able to immerse themselves in the simulated in hours and the results are capabilities in visualization, simulation, French Alps on a winding mountain model of the car and even get “inside” immediately available. With Mechanical and photorealistic rendering, NVIDIA road, they would have to place it. Designers are able to experiment Computer-Aided Engineering (MCAE), GPUs are again transforming the auto the actual car and a large crew of engineering and marketing pipeline, with elements such as color, lighting, the properties of prospective materials aiding in everything from design body style, and paint reflection on the can be modeled and tested in a variety visualization and crash simulations fly. An interactive 3D design model of different crash simulations quickly, to production of 3D images for can save many hours of work. accurately, and less expensively, helping commercials and marketing materials— to create the safest car for consumers. reducing costs, and speeding time to Data Processing market for new models. Currently, it In the area of data processing, car takes auto manufacturers about 48 manufacturers can benefit from GPU months to design and build a new Computing. GPU Computing makes car—from the initial sketch to the the task of computing large data sets first car rolling off the production line. faster and easier, bringing control back NVIDIA technologies are reducing into the hands of the engineers. No this time to market by tackling time- longer do engineers have to send out consuming tasks at all stages of the vehicle development process.

transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com right image courtesy edenfx transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com consumer consumer transformations // Your Life Enhanced with 3D Graphics graphics transformations // Leadership in DirectX 10 Games graphics

microsoft virtual earth Your Life NVIDIA Enhanced with 3D Graphics Leadership in DirectX 10 Games

Microsoft’s release of DirectX 10, which enables a completely 3D imagery permeates our lives, whether it’s for work or new 3D rendering paradigm, represents the most significant entertainment. These images awaken our senses, excite microsoft vista step forward in 3D graphics application programming our emotions, and help us make decisions based on interfaces (apis) since the invention of programmable shaders. increasingly visual information.

The list of popular 3D-based requires a GPU for functionality Games utilizing DirectX 10 deliver 10 content on the GeForce 8800 applications that take advantage of an related to the user interface. While a stunning new level of graphical GTX and these cutting-edge NVIDIA GPU to improve performance Vista has many important security realism through vivid environments, games are hitting the market now. is rapidly growing. For example, online and file management features, adobe acrobat detailed facial animation, and special Since the launch of the GeForce map applications such as Google Earth what grabs your attention is the particle and lighting effects. The 8 Series in November, NVIDIA and Microsoft Virtual Earth enable you compelling Aero 3D look and feel. NVIDIA GeForce 8 Series architecture has shipped millions of DirectX to view street images and buildings 3D is changing the way we use was designed specifically for DirectX 10 parts, including a line up of in 3D, so it’s easier to visualize the our and consumer 10 and represents more than three GPUs in the sub-$100 range. surrounding environment. Google electronics devices, making years of intensive R&D and intimate Picasa offers 3D effects when you work more efficient and play collaboration with Microsoft. The scroll through your photos. And with more enjoyable. As a result, GeForce 8800 GTX, which launched Zinio, you can open an online magazine NVIDIA GPUs are becoming in November 2006, was the world’s Here is a list of DirectX 10 games and actually “turn” the pages as you more and more indispensable to first DirectX 10–compliant, volume- and expected availability dates: would with a physical document. the everyday computer user. google picasa shipping GPU. Developers were Other applications and devices that able to create and test their DirectX Game Available benefit from the GPU include Adobe Company of Heroes Now available Acrobat and Acrobat Reader 8, Apple Lost Planet Now available iTunes, and the Blu-ray and HD DVD BioShock August 21st players. Additionally, the new Microsoft Age of Conan Late Summer Windows Vista operating system Hellgate London Q3 2007 Flight Sim X Fall 2007 Company of Heroes: Q4 2007 Opposing Fronts Crysis Late 2007 World in Conflict Holiday 2007 PT Boats TBD

top crysis, image courtesy of crytek transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com right world in conflict, image courtesy of massive entertainment transformations // nvidia corporation // www.nvidia.com transformations transformations // Improving Education in South Africa

"Educators worldwide are looking for a cost-effective and sustainable way to bring computers into the classroom; Userful and NVIDIA make this a reality.”

Improving Education in South Africa

Providing computers and Internet access to South Africa’s Timothy Griffin, president of Userful 28,000 schools and 12 million students is a challenge. In addition to the familiar issue of limited educational budgets, “NVIDIA’s leadership in price, schools in South Africa have additional infrastructure performance, and worldwide challenges, including a lack of skilled technical personnel, availability has made them an the need for increased protection from theft, and classroom electrical upgrades to support networks of computers. ideal hardware platform for our software. NVIDIA technology

With hardware from NVIDIA and So far the Userful platform has been allows Userful to offer our Desktop Multiplier® software deployed to 105 schools in South Africa’s high-performance approach from Userful, a software firm North West Province, allowing up to headquartered in Calgary, the 2,205 students to have computers and to affordable desktops to government of South Africa Internet access using only 315 systems. system builders on a global has found a viable classroom With this new access to technology, computing solution. Through students will learn more and expand basis. Educators worldwide use of NVIDIA graphics cards their technical skills, narrowing the are looking for a cost-effective and Userful software, schools in “digital divide” and helping diversify South Africa are providing up to the economy of South Africa. and sustainable way to bring seven students with a full desktop With NVIDIA GPUs, Userful is computers into the classroom; experience (monitor, mouse, and able to provide high-powered, high- keyboard) for each computer. Each performance, high-speed computing Userful and NVIDIA make computer includes four NVIDIA and Internet connectivity—all the this a reality.” graphics cards which, along functionality of a high-performance with Userful’s Desktop Multiplier computer—at an affordable price. software, allows multiple students to simultaneously use the same computer. The schools have fewer systems to buy and maintain, reduced power requirements, and the systems can be securely stored in a server room.

images courtesy userful For more information, visit www.userful.com

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Copyright © 2007 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, NVIDIA GeForce, Tesla, and NVIDIA Quadro are trademarks or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.