Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison

Eric C. McCreath; Ahmed El Zein; Jeremy Imholz; Alistair P. Rendell; Emily Wong

Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison

Eric C. McCreath, Ahmed El Zein, Jeremy Imholz, Alistair P. Rendell, Emily Wong

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

The NVIDIA 8800 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and the Cell Broadband Engine employ a vast amount of parallelism to produce low cost high performance systems which dwarf standard desktop processing units in terms of floating point calculations. These systems offer great potential for computational science applications. This paper compares the programming model, implementation strategies and realised performance achieved on these two systems for implementing a simple particle dynamics simulation code. Both systems were found to give considerable performance improvements over high-end uni-processor machines. The Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE), on the Cell, can not directly access main memory. This complicates initial implementation compared to the NVIDIA GPU, however, fully exploiting the complex architectures of both systems is equally challenging.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008
Editors	Lean Yu, Kin Keung Lai
Publisher	Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited
Pages	74-80
Number of pages	7
ISBN (Electronic)	9789889964405
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2008
Externally published	Yes
Event	2008 International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008 - Hong Kong, China Duration: 1 Aug 2008 → 3 Aug 2008

Conference

Conference	2008 International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008
Country/Territory	China
City	Hong Kong
Period	1/08/08 → 3/08/08

Keywords

computer graphics
data storage equipment
Broadband
parallel programming

Cite this

McCreath, E. C., Zein, A. E., Imholz, J., Rendell, A. P., & Wong, E. (2008). Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison. In L. Yu, & K. K. Lai (Eds.), Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008 (pp. 74-80). Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited.

McCreath, Eric C. ; Zein, Ahmed El ; Imholz, Jeremy et al. / Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications : A particle dynamics comparison. Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008. editor / Lean Yu ; Kin Keung Lai. Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited, 2008. pp. 74-80

@inproceedings{44f8e3c954b946549e06dbef43243cd9,

title = "Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison",

abstract = "The NVIDIA 8800 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and the Cell Broadband Engine employ a vast amount of parallelism to produce low cost high performance systems which dwarf standard desktop processing units in terms of floating point calculations. These systems offer great potential for computational science applications. This paper compares the programming model, implementation strategies and realised performance achieved on these two systems for implementing a simple particle dynamics simulation code. Both systems were found to give considerable performance improvements over high-end uni-processor machines. The Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE), on the Cell, can not directly access main memory. This complicates initial implementation compared to the NVIDIA GPU, however, fully exploiting the complex architectures of both systems is equally challenging.",

keywords = "computer graphics, data storage equipment, Broadband, parallel programming",

author = "McCreath, {Eric C.} and Zein, {Ahmed El} and Jeremy Imholz and Rendell, {Alistair P.} and Emily Wong",

year = "2008",

month = jan,

day = "1",

language = "English",

pages = "74--80",

editor = "Lean Yu and Lai, {Kin Keung}",

booktitle = "Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008",

publisher = "Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited",

note = "2008 International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008 ; Conference date: 01-08-2008 Through 03-08-2008",

}

McCreath, EC, Zein, AE, Imholz, J, Rendell, AP & Wong, E 2008, Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison. in L Yu & KK Lai (eds), Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008. Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited, pp. 74-80, 2008 International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008, Hong Kong, China, 1/08/08.

Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison. / McCreath, Eric C.; Zein, Ahmed El; Imholz, Jeremy et al.
Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008. ed. / Lean Yu; Kin Keung Lai. Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited, 2008. p. 74-80.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications

T2 - 2008 International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008

AU - McCreath, Eric C.

AU - Zein, Ahmed El

AU - Imholz, Jeremy

AU - Rendell, Alistair P.

AU - Wong, Emily

PY - 2008/1/1

Y1 - 2008/1/1

N2 - The NVIDIA 8800 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and the Cell Broadband Engine employ a vast amount of parallelism to produce low cost high performance systems which dwarf standard desktop processing units in terms of floating point calculations. These systems offer great potential for computational science applications. This paper compares the programming model, implementation strategies and realised performance achieved on these two systems for implementing a simple particle dynamics simulation code. Both systems were found to give considerable performance improvements over high-end uni-processor machines. The Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE), on the Cell, can not directly access main memory. This complicates initial implementation compared to the NVIDIA GPU, however, fully exploiting the complex architectures of both systems is equally challenging.

AB - The NVIDIA 8800 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and the Cell Broadband Engine employ a vast amount of parallelism to produce low cost high performance systems which dwarf standard desktop processing units in terms of floating point calculations. These systems offer great potential for computational science applications. This paper compares the programming model, implementation strategies and realised performance achieved on these two systems for implementing a simple particle dynamics simulation code. Both systems were found to give considerable performance improvements over high-end uni-processor machines. The Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE), on the Cell, can not directly access main memory. This complicates initial implementation compared to the NVIDIA GPU, however, fully exploiting the complex architectures of both systems is equally challenging.

KW - computer graphics

KW - data storage equipment

KW - Broadband

KW - parallel programming

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84945959218&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84945959218

SP - 74

EP - 80

BT - Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008

A2 - Yu, Lean

A2 - Lai, Kin Keung

PB - Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited

Y2 - 1 August 2008 through 3 August 2008

ER -

McCreath EC, Zein AE, Imholz J, Rendell AP, Wong E. Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison. In Yu L, Lai KK, editors, Advances in Applied Computing and Computational Sciences - Proceedings of International Symposium on Applied Computing and Computational Sciences, ACCS 2008. Global Information Publisher (H.K) Co., Limited. 2008. p. 74-80

Using the cell broadband engine and NVIDIA 8800 GPU for computational science applications: A particle dynamics comparison

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this