The cross-rank `max|p0-p1| == 0.0` check is flaky on this PCIe-only box: NCCL's
all-reduce is not bit-reproducible run-to-run across ranks (algorithm/chunk
choice is unstable), so cross-rank params can differ by a few ULP (observed
<=1.2e-7) even with identical init + averaged grads. The load-bearing gate is the
loss-trajectory match (~5.7e-7); a tight <1e-6 tolerance is the honest invariant.
Also extend ddp_throughput_scaling to include world=8 for the KI-5 before/after
scaling table.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>