Who Cares About High Performance Computing? Jennifer Teig von Hoffman Boston University

Overview High Performance and Grid Computing High Performance and Grid Computing Access Grid Access Grid Collaboration examples Collaboration examples What might this mean for you and your work? What might this mean for you and your work?

Excellent Examples Right Here The Tribal Virtual Network is one of my favorite, exciting examples of Access Grid in action The Tribal Virtual Network is one of my favorite, exciting examples of Access Grid in action

Think Ahead Some of what I’ll discuss is already available at Tribal Virtual Network Some of what I’ll discuss is already available at Tribal Virtual Network Thinking now about other future technologies helps you be ready to take advantage of them when they become available to you Thinking now about other future technologies helps you be ready to take advantage of them when they become available to you Innovative uses of new technologies may be attractive to funding agenciesInnovative uses of new technologies may be attractive to funding agencies

What is High Performance Computing? A branch of computer science that concentrates on developing supercomputers and software to run on supercomputers. A main area of this discipline is developing parallel processing algorithms and software programs that can be divided into little pieces so that each piece can be executed simultaneously by separate processors. A branch of computer science that concentrates on developing supercomputers and software to run on supercomputers. A main area of this discipline is developing parallel processing algorithms and software programs that can be divided into little pieces so that each piece can be executed simultaneously by separate processors. Source: WebopediaSource: Webopedia

High Performance Computing What makes a “supercomputer” changes rapidly as computers keep getting more powerful What makes a “supercomputer” changes rapidly as computers keep getting more powerful Your personal computer now is far more powerful than early supercomputers Your personal computer now is far more powerful than early supercomputers

Growth of Computing Power Source:

Science Drives Most Usage... Top 500 Supercomputers ranked online: Top 500 Supercomputers ranked online: Many are at research labs, government facilities, etc Many are at research labs, government facilities, etc

Electrical Defibrillation Studying placement of implanted defibrillators with Studying placement of implanted defibrillators with Computational modelingComputational modeling VisualizationVisualization Led by Boston U and Cardiac Pacemakers Inc Led by Boston U and Cardiac Pacemakers Inc Source:

Space Weather Developing a model for space weather effects that runs from the surface of the Sun to the Earth's atmosphere Developing a model for space weather effects that runs from the surface of the Sun to the Earth's atmosphere Led by Boston U Led by Boston U Source:

... But Others Use HPC Too

Cultural Heritage Preservation Some organizations using Virtual Reality and digital imaging to preserve artifacts Some organizations using Virtual Reality and digital imaging to preserve artifacts An example: Cultural Heritage Imaging, An example: Cultural Heritage Imaging, Digital photography and object moviesDigital photography and object movies PanoramasPanoramas Polynomial texture mappingPolynomial texture mapping 3D imaging3D imaging

Seen at SIGGRAPH 2004 A recreation in Virtual Reality of restored ancient sites, including A recreation in Virtual Reality of restored ancient sites, including 3D representations of objects3D representations of objects Lighting that simulates actual lighting of the times, which affects color perceptionLighting that simulates actual lighting of the times, which affects color perception

Digital Scan of Nara Great Buddha Source: Ikeuchi Lab, University of Tokyo, 2002;

HiPArt at Boston U High Performance Computing in the Arts, a collaboration between software developers and artists High Performance Computing in the Arts, a collaboration between software developers and artists

HiPArt’s Spirited Ruins Showcase of visual and auditory works created by invited artists in 1999 Showcase of visual and auditory works created by invited artists in 1999 Relationships among virtual and physical objects Relationships among virtual and physical objects Multi-person, multi-site shared environment Multi-person, multi-site shared environment

And Interest Keeps Growing Seedbed Initiative at University of Illinois Seedbed Initiative at University of Illinois artsintech.htmlhttp:// artsintech.html HASTAC HASTAC MARCEL Network MARCEL Network

Grid Computing Definition An ambitious and exciting global effort to develop an environment in which individual users can access computers, databases and experimental facilities simply and transparently, without having to consider where those facilities are located. An ambitious and exciting global effort to develop an environment in which individual users can access computers, databases and experimental facilities simply and transparently, without having to consider where those facilities are located. Source:

Huh? Internet: Sharing data Internet: Sharing data Files move by , web sites, FTP sites, etcFiles move by , web sites, FTP sites, etc Grid: Sharing resources Grid: Sharing resources Computing power is shared across the networks, allowing many computers to work on a single problem collaborativelyComputing power is shared across the networks, allowing many computers to work on a single problem collaboratively

PC-based Example: You download a screensaver You download a screensaver When your screensaver is active, your otherwise-unused computer power is used to download and analyze radio telescope data When your screensaver is active, your otherwise-unused computer power is used to download and analyze radio telescope data FOR MORE INFO...

NEES Grid Sharing computer resources and instrumentation over the network to improve earthquake simulation and related engineering Sharing computer resources and instrumentation over the network to improve earthquake simulation and related engineering Source:

Access Grid

What is the Access Grid? An ensemble of resources including An ensemble of resources including multimedia large- format displays presentation and interactive environments interfaces to Grid middleware and to visualization environments FOR MORE INFO... The Access Grid is a trademark of University of Chicago

Many, Many Groups of Users Tribal Virtual Network Tribal Virtual Network Minority Serving Institutions Consortium Minority Serving Institutions Consortium National Science Foundation National Science Foundation Art on the Grid Art on the Grid United Kingdom eScience Centers United Kingdom eScience Centers... The list goes on and on!... The list goes on and on!

Social and Cultural Events Seminar on “beer-ology” Seminar on “beer-ology” Drumming master class Drumming master class Wedding (yes, for real!) Wedding (yes, for real!) Friday “desktop buddy sharing” Friday “desktop buddy sharing”

AG is Grid “Middleware” Designed for integration of grid applications into Virtual Venues Designed for integration of grid applications into Virtual Venues Programmers can develop applications that plug in Programmers can develop applications that plug in APPS PARTICIPANTS

Basic Image By Dave Semeraro of NCSA By Dave Semeraro of NCSA For sharing images of many formats For sharing images of many formats

Shared Rasmol Adapted by Bob Olson and Tom Uram of Argonne National Lab, based on RasMol Adapted by Bob Olson and Tom Uram of Argonne National Lab, based on RasMol A tool for sharing simulations of protein molecules A tool for sharing simulations of protein molecules

SC Global 03: Application Steering by HLRS, University of Stuttgart A Virtual Reality representation of a building design, shared alongside the Access Grid A Virtual Reality representation of a building design, shared alongside the Access Grid Image courtesy of Internet2 Commons mms://winmedia.internet2.edu/VB-on- Demand/AppSteering.asf mms://winmedia.internet2.edu/VB-on- Demand/AppSteering.asf

SC Global 03: Karaoke Grid by AIST, XING, Inc, and Waseda U Karaoke over the Access Grid, from Japan Karaoke over the Access Grid, from Japan Technical issues only added to the humor Technical issues only added to the humor Image courtesy of Internet2 Commons mms://winmedia.internet2.edu/VB-on- Demand/KaraokeGrid.asf mms://winmedia.internet2.edu/VB-on- Demand/KaraokeGrid.asf

Collaboration Example: Student Interviews, 2001-ongoing

The Problem Graduate student applicants from China need to be evaluated for spoken English competency – but travel to/from China is expensive and often impossible Graduate student applicants from China need to be evaluated for spoken English competency – but travel to/from China is expensive and often impossible

The Solution Arrange series of interviews over Access Grid Arrange series of interviews over Access Grid Students travel to the closest participating site Students travel to the closest participating site Beijing University of Aeronautics and AstronauticsBeijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Shanghai Jiaotong UniversityShanghai Jiaotong University University of Science and Technology of China (Heifei)University of Science and Technology of China (Heifei)

Collaboration Requires Effort Relationships were established, developed, and maintained at sites in China which were asked to host student interviewees Relationships were established, developed, and maintained at sites in China which were asked to host student interviewees Organizational and financial issuesOrganizational and financial issues Language, cultural, time zone, vacation schedule barriers were overcome with effort on both sides Language, cultural, time zone, vacation schedule barriers were overcome with effort on both sides

Technology is Easy, Now Technical test sessions were held in preparation for each year’s series of interviews Technical test sessions were held in preparation for each year’s series of interviews Problems were easily identified and (mostly) addressed before interviewsProblems were easily identified and (mostly) addressed before interviews Far more testing was necessary in 2001 than in 2003 Far more testing was necessary in 2001 than in 2003

Nobody Likes Time Zones Interviews and test sessions were held at 7:00 AM EST, 8:00 PM in China Interviews and test sessions were held at 7:00 AM EST, 8:00 PM in China Technical staff needed to be there minutes earlier Technical staff needed to be there minutes earlier

Change? Not So Hard Interviewers and interviewees were generally enthusiastic about the opportunity to conduct interviews this way Interviewers and interviewees were generally enthusiastic about the opportunity to conduct interviews this way This despite the fact that students often had to travel many hours to get to AG nodesThis despite the fact that students often had to travel many hours to get to AG nodes Small technical and logistical glitches were generally well-accepted Small technical and logistical glitches were generally well-accepted Perhaps in large part because everyone knew the interviews were otherwise impossiblePerhaps in large part because everyone knew the interviews were otherwise impossible

Lessons Learned Non-tech staff can develop collaborations highly reliant on tech Non-tech staff can develop collaborations highly reliant on tech But to make this possible, technical and non-technical staff need to communicate clearly But to make this possible, technical and non-technical staff need to communicate clearly “They’re on the network” may mean they have an AG node, or it may mean they have high bandwidth network – a big difference to tech staff!“They’re on the network” may mean they have an AG node, or it may mean they have high bandwidth network – a big difference to tech staff!

So... What Does This Mean for YOU? You know your work and needs best You know your work and needs best I can bring my experience and enthusiasm I can bring my experience and enthusiasm Let’s see if we can find the answer together over time Let’s see if we can find the answer together over time

Questions to Ponder Have these examples made you think of parallels in your work? Have these examples made you think of parallels in your work? How would you hope to use Access Grid to enhance or develop collaborations at a distance? How would you hope to use Access Grid to enhance or develop collaborations at a distance? How might you use other technology already at your disposal to support your work? Your personal life? How might you use other technology already at your disposal to support your work? Your personal life?

More Questions to Ponder What technologies did you see today which you’d like to start thinking about how to use? What technologies did you see today which you’d like to start thinking about how to use? Are there connections you’d like to make with others in the HPC user and cyberspace community? Are there connections you’d like to make with others in the HPC user and cyberspace community?

Events for Info and Networking SC Global 2004, on the Access Grid and Windows Media Player SC Global 2004, on the Access Grid and Windows Media Player conference.org/sc2004/scglobal.htmlhttp:// conference.org/sc2004/scglobal.html Supercomputing Conference Supercomputing Conference SIGGRAPH 2005 and beyond SIGGRAPH 2005 and beyond Access Grid Retreat Access Grid Retreat

Please Contact Me Jennifer Teig von Hoffman Boston University 111 Cummington Street Boston, MA Jennifer Teig von Hoffman Boston University 111 Cummington Street Boston, MA