Computational Modelling Group

Workshop  20th March 2017 9 a.m.  177/2023 NGCM CDT Common Room

Heterogeneous Computing with OpenCL

Categories
Linux, Multi-core, NGCM, OpenCL, Python, VirtualBox
Submitter
Alexander Fforde

OpenCL

Dear all,

Most of us have or have had GPUs on personal or work computers. We would like to introduce you to OpenCL so that you may extract significant performance advantages from said systems. The workshop will introduce the key concepts of heterogenenous programming, and teach users to fully utilise the computational capabilities of their machines.

OpenCLâ„¢ is the open, royalty-free standard for cross-platform, parallel programming of diverse processors found in personal computers, servers, mobile devices and embedded platforms.

Workshop Overview:

  • Introducing key concepts of GPU programming.

  • How to interface with the OpenCL platform.

  • A training exercise in PyOpenCL (This will require prior knowledge of coding in Python).

  • A performance comparison between CPU and GPU on a benchmark file.

A Virtual Machine will be made available. Additionally, users will be provided with instructions to run OpenCL platform installation for their specific CPUs. Although the training exercise will utilise only CPU devices, the skills acquired during this training exercise can easily be extended to programming with the GPU.