CERN Computing Colloquium

AMD's 64-bit Opteron processor

by David Rich (Director of HPC and Embedded Marketing at AMD) and David Cownie (Opteron HPC Benchmarking Engineer)

Europe/Zurich
500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium

CERN

400
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Description
This talk will be given in two parts as follows:

Opteron Overview; Architecture, Infrastructure and Technology (David Rich)
This talk will provide an overview of the Opteron processor architecture in particular, 32 and 64 bit capabilities, integrated memory controller, and the use of HyperTransport technology. HyperTransport technology will also be discussed in general. Opteron infrastructure -- platforms, enabling software -- will also be discussed. Some industry standard benchmark results will be provided.

Opteron Performance Considerations - Application Programmer's View (David Cownie)
This talk concentrates on issues that relate to obtaining peak performance from the Opteron processor. Compiler options, memory layout, MPI issues in multi-processor configurations and the use of a NUMA kernel will be covered. A discussion of recent benchmarking projects and results will also be included.

Biographies
David Rich
David directs AMD's efforts in high performance computing and also in the use of Opteron processors in non-traditional or embedded applications. Previous to AMD, David was general manager at API Networks, Inc. API co-developed HyperTransport technology with AMD. He was VP of Business Development at Fujitsu System Technologies and directed the spin out of that group into RedSwitch (now acquired by Agilent). RedSwitch is a leader in InfiniBand switch silicon products. Before Fujitsu, David was VP of Marketing and Sales at Dolphin Interconnect Solutions.
David worked on the Butterfly series of parallel computers at BBN and also created a software tool business based around the TotalView debugger and managed the spin-off of that business from BBN � now Etnus. He held technical and marketing positions at a number of companies including Octocom Systems, Apollo Computer and Micom Systems. David has a BA in computer science from Brown University.

David "Boris" Cownie
David started his career at Inmos where he wrote the "Occam" compiler and the code generator for the Transputer processor. From there he joined Meiko, Ltd. as one of the first employees where he worked on many parallel codes including benchmarks for many large national laboratories -- e.g. NASA Ames, Lawrence Livermore. He also managed 3rd party compiler and tools vendors as part of his work at Meiko. Currently David works with AMD's customers (vendors) and end users of AMD processors on optimization of HPC applications. David has an MA in computer science from Cambridge University, UK.
Video in CDS