Quentin F. Stout Parallel computers are easy to build - it's the software that takes work. Audience Typically about half the class is from Computer Science and Engineering, and half is from a wide range of other areas throughout the sciences, engineering, and medicine. Some students want to become parallel computing specialists, while others intend to apply parallel computing to their discipline.
Students range from seniors through postdocs, and occasionally faculty sit in on the course as well.
This course can be used to satisfy requirements in a variety of degree programs. The course covers a wide range of aspects of parallel computing, with the emphasis on developing efficient software for commercially available systems. Various operating system and language issues are also covered. Use of standard software helps make the code more portable, preserving the time invested in it. We examine many reasons for poor parallel performance, and a wide range of techniques for improving it.