Parallel Computer Centre Overview

Introduction

The Department of Computer Science has gained an international reputation for their work on programming methodologies and programming language design and implementation, particularly in the area of novel architecture computing, and in the development of parallel algorithms. This work started when Professor C. A. R. Hoare was Head of Department and has continued with the work of Professors R. H. Perrott, M. Clint, D. Crookes and others.

The engineering departments have also made use of parallel architectures to solve problems in the areas of CFD, finite element analysis and embedded systems for control.

Hence, in recognition of this experience, the Parallel Computer Centre was established in 1990.

As part of its remit to introduce the academic community to parallel processing the PCC has:

• developed courses and workshops for each of the platforms available within the Centre.
  
• produced hands on practical sessions for computer architecture courses at Queen's University of Belfast and the University of Ulster at Coleraine, and the MSc course in computational physics at Queens
  
• maintained serviceable systems for use in other courses
  
• specified and supervised MSc and honours degree projects in Computer Science and Applications, Computational Physics, Information Technology, Electrical Engineering and projects for Erasmus exchange students.
  
• employed honours computer science students during their work experience year. Students have had training in the use of the equipment, system administration, project development and supervision of practical sessions.
• initiated and run a Summer Scholarship scheme that has employed 7 students for 10 weeks during the last 2 years. Students receive training on parallel processing paradigms, specific features of the hardware and software being used in the Parallel Computer Centre and undertake a small project relating to the area of their primary degree.
• as part of the TIRONET project, a seminar at University College Dublin was given and training of selected users in the remote use of the facilities over a 2 MB/sec optical link was undertaken.
• provided advice and training on the use of the Cray optimisation tools for users of the Cray Y-MP EL.
• collaborated with Cray research on the development of an integrated Performance Support System that will assist with the training requirements of all users of Cray Supercomputers.
• developed software packages (to analyse recorded experiments) used by non-specialist students from medical experiments.
• In conjunction with the Computer Science Department and the Universidad de Las Palmas de Grand Canaria the PCC has proposed and organised the inaugural EuroMicro workshop on parallel and distributed processing.

HPC Activities of the PCC

Provision of HPC services

This requires the availability of machines that are reliable and relatively easy to access with significantly more power than is currently available on the desktop.

HPC expertise

This requires the availability of staff with detailed knowledge of the HPC platforms and how best to exploit them. The staff are capable of understanding the needs and fears of the research community. The staff also encourage interdisciplinary activities.

Training and Education

In addition to introducing other disciplines to the HPC, training and education encourages existing users of HPC to use the system efficiently and provide them with knowledge of the emerging systems that will be available in the future.

Technology transfer to industry

This encourages the uptake of HPC within industry and focus on collaborative projects to enable real life examples to feed into other activities.

Other Centres

Additional background details on the PCC.