High Performance Computing at Memorial University
C&C's Technical Support Group
offers special support for high-performance computing through a number
of special-purpose servers.
The servers include four Digital Alpha systems: three DEC 3000/600 systems
and one AlphaServer 1000. All four systems are running the Digital UNIX
operating system.
Memorial University has purchased a powerful Digital Alpha Computer for High
Performance Computing, including access for HPCNET users across Canada. The
new system is a four processor Alpha 4100 5/400 (400 Mhz) system with 4 GB main memory and
20 GB disk storage. The system is primarily batch-mode via an LSF based batch
queuing system front-ended by a Digital Alpha 3000 system connected to
Memorial's new ATM high speed MUNet network.
Opened in September 2001, this centre provides a 28 processor SGI Onyx 3400 computer
with advanced Graphics capabilities along with 6 visualization workstations.
MUN C&C has 4 Alpha systems dedicated to the High Performance
Computing. These systems, along with the AlphaServer 4100 noted above,
are managed using the Load Sharing Facility (LSF) from Platform Computing. LSF is set of
programs and daemon processes that control how compute jobs are run on
a cluster of potential compute servers.
High Performance Fortran (HPF) is a set of extensions to the Fortran 90
standard that permits programmers to specify how data is to be
distributed across multiple processors in a parallel programming
environment. The Parallel Software Environment (PSE) provides system
software and tools to define and manage a cluster of Alpha systems. A
PSE cluster is a collection of one or more Alpha workstations and SMP
machines that are integrated to form a single processing entity.
The KAP preprocessors are products of Kuck and Associates, Inc.
designed to restructure C code for improved performance and better
utilization of the memory hierarchy of Digital UNIX systems. KAP
performs parallel decomposition to take advantage of shared memory and
symmetric multiprocessors. By eliminating inefficiencies and
bottlenecks, KAP enables you to get your answers faster without
time-consuming, hand-recoding of applications programs.
Separate documentation is avail for
KAP C,
KAP F77, and KAP F90.
The Reaction Draft Proposal for A Research Initiative in the Computational
Arts, Sciences and Engineering, prepared for the office of
Vice-President (Research) by Dr. James Stacey, The
Collaboratory Inc. - April 11, 1994. The full document is 100
pages. The executive
summary is 10 pages and would be adequate for most
readers.
An evaluation of needs, status and potential for Memorial
University of Newfoundland, and potential benefits for
education in Newfoundland.
Andrew Draskoy,
Gayle Tapper,
Paul Fardy,
Randy Dodge
Last modified June 14th, 2002.
