High Performance Computing Demystified

ForewordPrefaceI Introduction and History 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 What Is High Performance? 1.3 Who Uses High Performance Computers? 1.4 Analysis Metrics 1.5 Structure 2 History 2.1 The History of High Performance 2.2 Classes of High Performance Machines 2.3 Vector Processing 2.4 Multiprocessor Supercomputers 2.5 Advances in Microprocessor Design 2.6 The Future: Putting It TogetherII Computer Architectures 3 High Performance on a Chip 3.1 Killer Micros 3.2 What Makes a High Performance Chip? 3.3 How Processors Are Made Fast 3.4 RISC Machines 3.5 The Memory Bottleneck 3.6 Conclusion 4 Topological Issues 4.1 Connectivity 4.2 Switches 4.3 Topologies and Routing 4.4 Network Functionality 4.5 New Trends in CommunicationsIII Multiple Processor Architectures 5 Vector Processors 5.1 Pipelined Supercomputers 5.2 Vector Instructions 5.3 Early Pipelined Computers: Examples 5.4 Later Pipelined Computers 5.5 Attached Processors 5.6 New Directions 6 Multiprocessor Machines 6.1 Parallelism 6.2 Coordination and Synchronization 6.3 Memory Models 6.4 Programming Models 6.5 Hardware Issues 7 Collections of Workstations 7.1 The Cluster Model 7.2 Networks of Workstations 7.3 Future Goals 7.4 Example 8 I/O 8.1 Introduction 8.2 RAID 8.3 Internal Parallel I/O Systems 8.4 External I/O Systems 8.5 ConclusionIV Software Issues 9 Software 9.1 Languages 9.2 Compilers 9.3 Operating Systems 9.4 Message Passing Systems 9.5 Reliability in Distributed SystemsV High Performance Applications 10 Models of Physical Systems 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Need for High Performance 10.3 Heat Conduction 10.4 Fluid Flow 10.5 Methods for Solving the Equations 10.6 Problem Decomposition 10.7 Other Applications 10.8 Conclusion 11 Seismic Applications 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The Need for High Performance 11.3 Seismic Exploration 11.4 Seismic Processing 11.5 Analysis of Geophysical Data 11.6 Reservoir Modeling 11.7 Summary 12 Biology and Artificial Life 12.1 Biology and High Performance Computing 12.2 Computational Biochemistry 12.3 Neural Networks 12.4 Memory-Based Reasoning 12.5 Artificial Life 12.6 Conclusion 13 Business Applications 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Large Database Applications 13.3 Decision Support 13.4 Data Mining and Micromarketing 13.5 Intelligent Business Software 13.6 Example in Parallelization: Options Pricing 13.7 Conclusion 14 Optimization 14.1 Introduction 14.2 The Need for High Performance 14.3 Formalization 14.4 The Simplex Method 14.5 Airline Crew Pairing 14.6 Portfolio Management 14.7 Summary 15 Graphics and Visualization 15.1 Introduction 15.2 The Need for High Performance 15.3 A Graphics Technique: Ray Tracing 15.4 Parallel Graphics Processing 15.5 Specialized Hardware: SGI's RealityEngine 15.6 Visualization 15.7 Virtual RealityVI Availability 16 Conclusion 16.1 Timely, Timeless, or What? 16.2 National Laboratories 16.3 Hard Copy Publications 16.4 Online Information 16.5 ManufacturersGlossaryBibliographyIndex