The first Cray T3D supercomputer has gone up for auction. The single-cabinet system carries the model designation Cray T3D-MC512. It represents the inaugural machine of the T3D series from vendor Cray.
Single-cabinet system features 512 processors and liquid cooling.
The unit features 512 DEC Alpha 21064 processors running at 150 MHz. Engineers cooled the hardware using Fluorinert liquid cooling systems. The chassis measures 193 centimeters in height, 117 centimeters in width, and 193 centimeters in depth. It sits inside a Tomato Red enclosure that weighs 0.85 tons for its cooling system alone.
Spec comparison
| Spec | Cray T3D-MC512 |
|---|---|
| Model | Cray T3D-MC512 |
| Processors | 512 DEC Alpha 21064 150 MHz compute processors |
| Cooling | Fluorinert liquid-based |
| Dimensions | H193cm x W117cm x D193cm |
| Weight (cooling system) | 0.85 tons |
Auction notes set the opening bid at £60,000, which equals approximately $81,000 USD. The original purchase price reached roughly $15 million when the machine was new. The auction concludes on May 31.
This supercomputer previously served as Cray's internal development system before installation at Edinburgh University under the name Typhoon. It ranked as the fastest supercomputer in Europe according to TOP500 data from June 1996. Auction notes describe the hardware as a museum-grade survival of exceptional importance.
Cray has not confirmed additional details about the auction process or final sale price.
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