Exascale computing is a 21st-century attempt to move computing capabilities beyond the existing petascale. If achieved, it would represent a thousandfold increase over that scale.[1] On the basis of a supercomputing conference held in December 2009, Computerworld projected its implementation by 2018.[2]
The initiative has been endorsed by two US agencies: the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration.[3] The technology would be useful in various computation-intensive research areas, including basic research, engineering, earth science, biology, materials science, energy issues, and national security.[4]
The United States has put aside $126 million for exascale computing beginning in 2012. [5]
Three projects aiming at developing technologies and software for Exascale Computing have been started in 2011 within the European Union. The CRESTA project (Collaborative Research into Exascale Systemware, Tools and Applications)[6], the DEEP project (Dynamical ExaScale Entry Platform)[7], and the project Mont-Blanc[8].