An interactive engineering tool for parallel HPC applications

Abstract

Typical applications of the so-called Grand Challenges need massively parallel computer system architectures. Tools like parallel debuggers, performance analysers and visualizers help the code designer to develop efficient parallel algorithms. Such tools merely support the development cycle. But technical and scientific engineers who make use of parallel high-performance computing applications, e.g. numerical simulation algorithms in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), must be supported in their engineering work by another kind of tool. A tool for the application cycle is required because old, conventional suggestions regarding the arrangement for the application cycle rely on strictly sequential procedures. They are due to the heritage of traditional work on former vector computers. That formative influence is still felt in today's arrangements for the application cycle, prevents a more efficient engineering work and, therefore, must be overcome. New tool conceptions have to be introduced to enable on-line interaction between the technical and scientific engineers and their running parallel simulation. VIPER stands for Visualization of Parallel numerical simulation algorithms for Extended Research and offers physical parameters of the mathematical model and parameters of the numerical method as objects of a graphical user tool interface for online observation and online modification. A special client-server-client process architecture implementation enables technical and scientific engineers who are sitting at their graphic workstation to interact with their parallel simulation algorithms running on a remote parallel computer system. The VIPER prototype is applied on ParNsflex which is a parallel Navier-Stokes solver for real world aero-dynamic problems. A Paragon XP S was selected as test parallel computer system. A first evaluation indicates the superiority of the VIPER conception against conventional procedures.