Skip to main content

ModuleInformation

CSC4005

High Performance Computing: Principles Of Parallel Programming

Course Contents

The computer industry has moved en masse to multicore; parallel programming is now the pervading programming paradigm from desktop to supercomputer. Industry needs programmers with parallel programming skills.

This is a practically oriented introduction to parallel computing with a significant parallel programming component.

Lectures will cover:

  • basic concepts and terminology;
  • parallel computer memory architectures;
  • parallel programming models;
  • designing parallel programs including performance analysis and tuning;
  • future directions in parallel programming.

Practical parallel programming will be in C, using OpenMP and MPI, on a large multi-core cluster running under Unix and in CUDA on NVIDIA GPUs running under Windows. 

A major component of the module will be the analysis of a serial application program.  The aim is to determine its hot spots and to develop parallel implementations in OpenMP, MPI and CUDA. This project will take the form of competition with a prize for the best performing parallel system.

Supplementary Notes

None

Learning Outcomes

  • To understand the principles underpinning effective and efficient parallel programs.
  • To understand those factors that influence performance.
  • To appreciate currents trends in parallel computing.
  • To understand the basics of C, MPI, OpenMP and CUDA.

Skills

Students will be able:

  • to analyse and identify the hot spots in a serial application program;
  • to design, implement, experiment with and analyse parallel versions of the application program in OpenMP, MPI and CUDA;
  • to present coherently the results of experiments and findings in both written and oral form;
  • to identify, understand and appreciate high level journal papers on parallel computing.