With every new generation of computers, we see the gap between the theoretical performance of a machine and the performance that is actually delivered by applications widen. Codes struggle to exploit the hardware. It has therefore become critical that researchers and research software engineers in HPC to understand how well and why codes use the machinery as they do. Insight into performance behaviour can drive the code evolution and ultimately become the means through which future advancement through computing are facilitated.
This workshop series offers a comprehensive introduction to a selection of open source tools that enable researchers to assess the performance behaviour of their code. The workshops will be augmented by revision sessions of some of the core HPC know-how. We encourage participants to bring along their own codes so they can continually assess and improve them throughout the series.
| Thursday 20 April 2023 | 9:00-12:00 | Principles of performance analysis and performance assessment | Brian Wylie | In-person preferred (with live broadcast) |
| 13:00-14:00 | Hands-on: high-level performance assessment of user codes | Brian Wylie | In-person preferred (with live broadcast) | |
| 15:00-16:30 | Pitches: What do participants expect from the course? | Participants | In-person preferred (with live broadcast) | |
| Tuesday 25 April 2023 | 15:00-16:00 | A brief revision of machine architecture principles (von Neumann), the idea behind caches, and the fundamentals of vectorisation | Tobias Weinzierl | Virtual (optional) |
| Thursday 27 April 2023 | 9:00-12:00 | VTune | Heinrich Bockhorst | Virtual/Hybrid (we will provide computer rooms, but the lecturers will likely dial in remotely) |
| 13:00-15:00 | Hands-on: Participants apply … to their codes | Participants | Virtual/Hybrid (we will provide meeting rooms, but the lecturers will likely dial in remotely) | |
| Tuesday 2 May 2023 | 16:00-18:00 | Performance models: roofline plots, strong and week scaling | Tobias Weinzierl | Virtual (optional) |
| Thursday 4 May 2023 | 9:00-12:00 | MAQAO – an introduction with interactive exercises | Cedric Valensi | Hybrid |
| 13:00-15:00 | Hands-on: Participants apply MAQAO to their codes | Participants | Hybrid | |
| Tuesday 9 May 2023 | 16:00-17:00 | Flynn’s taxonomy, SPMD, and a brief revision of MPI operations and MPI progression | Tobias Weinzierl | Virtual (optional) |
| Thursday 11 May 2023 | 9:00-12:00 | Scalasca – an introduction with interactive exercises | Brian Wylie | Virtual/Hybrid (we will provide meeting rooms, but the lecturers will likely dial in remotely) |
| 13:00-15:00 | Hands-on: Participants apply Scalasca to their codes | Participants | Virtual/Hybrid (we will provide meeting rooms, but the lecturers will likely dial in remotely) | |
| Thursday 18 May 2023 | 9:00-13:00 | Wrap-up: Participants present their lessons learned | Participants | In-person preferred (with live broadcast) This event will be organised in conjunction with the Durham HPC Days. |
