One of the major differences between the recently completed Asia Student Supercomputer Challenge and the other major international competitions is the way the students get their clustering gear.

In the ISC and SC competitions, part of the task for students is to find a vendor partner and work with them to put together the best cluster for the event, and then make sure the gear arrives at the competition site. After that, it’s all about getting the cluster together and operating correctly, which can end up being quite an adventure in itself.

It’s a different deal at ASC. Inspur, the China-based multinational server vendor, is the sole hardware supplier for each team. This makes logistics easier for the teams, reduces travel/shipping costs, and also ensures that the equipment will be at the starting gate.

Click on the chart below to see what the teams were sporting in Guangzhou at the 3rd Annual Asia Student Supercomputer Challenge…