Preferred Networks MN-Core 2 for HPC and AI

By
Patrick Kennedy
-
0
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_05
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_05

Preferred Networks is demonstrating its second-generation MN-Core architecture, dubbed “MN-Core 2,” for HPC and AI workloads at Hot Chips 2024.

Please note this is the last presentation, so please excuse any typos.

Preferred Networks MN-Core 2 for HPC and AI

The MN-Core 2 is focused on HPC and AI cluster tasks, and specifically power efficient compute.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_02
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_02

You may not have heard about Preferred Networks, so here is the “Who are we?” slide.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_04
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_04

MN-Core is moving from TSMC 12nm in the first generation to TSMC 7nm. The company said the MN-Core 2 is already up and running.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_05
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_05

The MN-3 supercomputer has landed in the Green500 using the 500W TDP parts.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_06
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_06

The MN-Core 2 is only a 330W part, but it has more DRAM bandwidth and lower compute performance.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_07
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_07

This is a confusing slide. It has lower performance per TDP than the NVIDIA H100 and MI300X, but better than the NVIDIA A100.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_08
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_08

It perhaps makes sense then that the company is showing off its new chip versus the four-year-old NVIDIA A100.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_09
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_09

Here is the architecture with processing elements, matrix math blocks, and then broadcast blocks.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_10
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_10

Her is the processing element core architecture:

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_11
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_11

Here is the L1 and L2 network:

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_12
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_12

It looks like the new MN-Core 2 uses faster GDDR6X memory but uses a smaller die to help with cost. This is a case where it is a lower cost per chip, but not necessarily a lot higher performance per chip in the new generation.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_13
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_13

The company has a compiler for the parts and AI.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_14
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_14

One can port workloads to MN-Core with a few changes.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_15
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_15

The MN-Server 2 V1 is 20,000,000 Yen, or just under $140K USD. The MN-Core Devkit is around 2,000,000 Yen or under $14K USD.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_16
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_16

Here is the architecture summary:

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_17
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_17

MN-Core 2 looks like it will spawn two variants for learning and for LLM inference.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_18
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_18

Here is the presentation summary.

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_19
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_19

Here is the performance of the MN-Core

Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_22
Preferred Networks MN Core 2 Hot Chips 2024_Page_22

That is what we have.

Final Words

This is a team that has made it on the Green500 list a few times. At the same time, the question is whether this is more of a development platform, or something that is trying to compete with other solutions on the market. Hot Chips sometimes just accepts talks on interesting chips. Perhaps this is one of those.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.