Russia is moving forward with its plans to introduce a new supercomputing and cloud platform called the Basis platform despite previous information technology setbacks. Russia is moving on with cutting-edge indigenous technologies despite obstacles brought on by the sanctions resulting from its conflict with Ukraine.
The development of the Basis platform, led by the state-owned company Roselectronics, is a notable example of Russia’s efforts to enhance its computer capabilities. This platform promises scalability and performance improvements, and it is characterized as a combination of hardware and software. Each Basis module includes three servers with up to 128 CPU cores and 2TB of RAM; however, the exact details of the CPU design are still unknown.
The Basis platform is designed for various computing operations, such as virtual machines, high-volume storage, and graphics processing. Proposals are also in place to use the platform to build supercomputers with specific, possibly military, occupies in view. Large-scale computing networks may be built thanks to the scalability of the suggested approach, and the Angara network enables fast, low-latency communication between nodes.
Russia’s computing strategy relies heavily on its manufacturing base for the Basis platform’s components. Russia can only fabricate semiconductors at a maximum of 65 nm in size hence it isn’t easy to get sophisticated chips from outside. Although TSMC is not allowed to sell to Russia, China is a good alternative, and SMIC could be able to fill the void. SMIC is allegedly progressing even though it is subject to its sanctions.
The collaboration between Russia and China in semiconductor manufacturing opens possibilities for advancing Russia’s computing infrastructure. By leveraging China’s semiconductor capabilities, Russia can potentially overcome limitations in domestic fabrication and propel its computing initiatives forward. However, uncertainties remain regarding the extent of collaboration and the long-term sustainability of such partnerships in the face of geopolitical tensions.
