Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Tennessee State Univ., Nashville, TN, USA
Abstract :
The National Grand Challenges program has identified ten computational critical technology areas (CTAs) and there is a need to enhance HPC software usability to address these critical CTAs. We have evaluated the software training needs of HPC users based on the user survey records of 1998. An analysis of the HPC user survey indicates six major types of software being used at various locations. These are divided among system software, compiler software, special application software (in-house, large scale, and library software), software tools, virtualization software and small-scale software. We have ranked software by user training needs in the above six areas. The user software training needs for different software categories are ranked as: FORTRAN90, C++, C, and HPF for compiler software; MATLAB for small-scale software; LS-DYNA3D for special application software; FAST for virtualization software; MPI, and PVM for software tools; and Origin2000, T3E, C90, T90, and SP for system software. Additionally we have identified various Web sites and sources that offer software training courses. In addition, we offer on-site courses for training in FORTRAN, C++, C, and MATLAB and are planning to develop Web based courses in these areas. These training programs will increase the pool of well trained HPC software users and thus enhance HPC software usability
Keywords :
computer software; educational computing; educational courses; information resources; programming; teaching; training; C++; C90; FAST; FORTRAN90; HPC software usability enhancement; HPC user survey; HPC users; HPF; LS-DYNA3D; MATLAB; MPI; National Grand Challenges program; Origin2000; PVM; SP; T3E; T90; Web based courses; Web sites; compiler software; computational critical technology areas; critical CTAs; high performance computing; on-site courses; small-scale software; software tools; software training courses; software training needs; special application software; system software; training programs; user survey records; user training needs; virtualization software; Application software; Computational modeling; Electromagnetic modeling; High performance computing; Large-scale systems; Mathematical model; Programming environments; Software tools; System software; Usability;
