The article is quite correct in that “Power Remains the No. 1 Problem”. I just filed a patent for a change to the scheduling algorithms for an HPC system which is designed to reduce peak power consumption. Just controlling the way user jobs are launched on these platforms can make a big difference in the power consumed and the heat generated.
My company has bragging rights on an installation in France which is in the top 10 of the Top500 Supercomputing list. I visited the site last year when it was installed. We build the hardware and supply the infrastructure software.
I was on a team that installed #15 (at the time--it's been several years now) for the Army. I've also travelled nationally and to Europe several times working on these machines. They're pretty impressive to work on and watch as they power on. :)
Yup. While not a Top500 machine, I installed a cluster for the Navy a few years ago that had some power issues. When I powered it on for the first time (With my VP standing by watching), I brought four separate buildings down. :)