Fortran/C/C++ Compilers & Debugging Tools

HPC SDK - High Performance Computing
Software Development Kit
for IBM Linux on Power™ Clusters

Product Overview

The Absoft High Performance Computing Software Development Kit (HPC SDK) for Linux on Power has been selected by IBM as the premier Software Develpers’ Kit for building and running High Performance Computing Applications on IBM Linux on Power™. Absoft’s HPC SDK consists of pre-configured tools that help you immediately to Compile, Debug, Run, and Optimize High Performance Computing Applications. Included with the tool kit are both F95/F77 Fortran and C/C++ compilers from Absoft and IBM, industry leading Fx2™ Debugging Solution, IBM Engineering and Scientific Subroutine Library (ESSL), the LAM/MPI high-quality MPI implementation, VAX/Unix libraries, graphics and free technical support. Absoft provides a single solution that runs everywhere, ideal for those who maintain code in multiple environments. The HPC SDK includes everything developers need to build and run High Performance Computing Applications on IBM Linux on Power™ clusters in a single integrated package. More...

 

Key Benefits
  • The SDK installs instantly and effortlessly Just insert the CD and type one command, then Start using it right away It just works!
  • Start compiling and running applications instantly
  • Absoft's Fortran 95 compiler is source compatible with Fortran on other platforms
  • Result of collaboration between Absoft and IBM to ensure maximum performance and ease of use
  • Absoft's Fortran 95 compiler includes extensive legacy support (old programs just work)
  • Includes innovative software tools making cluster systems development easy while reducing the time it takes to use the solution productively
  • Brings together preconfigured components that are tightly integrated to allow the user to focus on the “Build-Debug-Run-Optimize” cycle for cluster development
  • Premier support and product maintenance included (along with free service packs and quick fixes)
    gives you peace of mind that any questions or problems you have will be handled in a quick and prompt manner.
  • Exclusive Absoft Modules Environment allows you to easily select & switch between different tools and automatically reconfigure your environment at any time. Developers now can spend more time coding and less time trying to make their development environment work.
  • Available with Absoft's exclusive Floating Network Licenses
  • Comes with many choices of the number and type of server, offering an ideal solution for smaller organizations.
  • Enhancement options for the HPC SDK coming soon!
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Key Features
  • Complete High Performance Computing (HPC) Software Developer's Kit (SDK) for cluster hardware products from IBM includes:
    • XL Fortran Compiler v9.1(new) – for deployment speed
    • XL C/C++ Compiler v7.0 (new) – for deployment speed
    • Pro Fortran 95 Compiler v9.0 (new) – for legacy support
    • Fx2 Debugging Solution (new) – for developer efficiency
    • LAM MPI v7.1 (new) – for parallel execution
    • ESSL Math & Science Libraries v4.2 (new) – for code speed
  • Pre-configured ‘Best of Breed’ software tools which install easily and quickly on your HPC server or cluster - start developing and running applications within minutes
  • Each HPC SDK includes 12 months of technical support, maintenance and updates at no additional charge.
  • Absoft compilers support all popular extensions and are link/debug compatible with GNU and IBM compilers
  • HPC SDK version 1.0 supports all configurations of IBM® p5, pSeries®, OpenPower™ and BladeCenter™ JS20 running SuSE SLES 9.0 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0
  • Absoft's Fortran 95 includes pre-configured libraries for linear algebra (BLAS, LAPACK95, ATLAS, HDF), VAX/Unix-compatibility and 2D/3D graphics are all included on the distribution CD at no additional charge
  • Optional tools are available for automatically parallelizing serial code for cluster operation
  • Toolkit includes Absoft Fortran 95 compiler which has source compatible versions on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. Multi-platform discounts available.

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Product Description


The Absoft High Performance Computing Software Development Kit (HPC SDK) for Linux on Power is the premier Software Develpers’ Kit for building and running High Performance Computing Applications on IBM Linux on Power™. Absoft’s HPC SDK consists of pre-configured tools that help you immediately to Compile, Debug, Run, and Optimize High Performance Computing Applications.

Included with the tool kit are the high performance IBM XL Fortran and XL C/C++ Advanced Edition compilers for IBM Linux on Power™, Absoft’s highly optimizing Fortran 95 compiler for IBM Linux on Power™, the industry leading Fx2™ Debugging Solution, IBM highly optimized Engineering and Scientific Subroutine Library (ESSL), the Absoft Modules Environment, the Absoft Common Installer, VAX/Unix libraries, graphics and free technical support. Absoft provides a single solution that runs everywhere, ideal for those who maintain code in multiple environments. Absoft Fortran 95 for LoP is a native LSB compliant 64-bit compiler which generates both 32-bit and 64-bit applications. Also included is a comprehensive suite of prebuilt libraries and options for an automatic parallelizing pre-processor, automatic VMX vector support, and OpenMP are available options. The HPC SDK includes everything developers need to build and run High Performance Computing Applications on IBM Linux on Power™ clusters in a single integrated package.

The new High Performance Computing Software Development Kit (HPC SDK) overcomes the barriers of HPC Software Development, making it possible to extend the benefits of clustered computing to individuals and small departments. The HPC SDK is offered with IBM’s packaged rack-optimized servers and blades in a variety of packaged, pre-tested clustered configurations.

The HPC SDK combines all the ‘Best of Breed’ software components necessary to compile, debug, run and optimize HPC software and establishes Absoft Corporation as the single point of contact and follow-up questions and support needs. Available exclusively from Absoft and IBM, the HPC SDK includes compilers, debuggers, message passing libraries, numerical libraries, an intelligent installer, an uninstaller and an environment configuration module from IBM, Absoft, and open sources. The Absoft Module Environment allows additional tools to be easily installed and configured as customer development needs change.

The HPC SDK is a complete High Performance Computing Software Development environment that is easy to install, simple to use, and incorporates the most powerful, best-of-breed HPC development tools available. The new Absoft HPC SDK will be available for all configurations of IBM Linux on Power clusters and servers running Red Hat’s RHEL 3 or SuSE’s SLES 9. The HPC SDK comes with a common installer and a common license manager available exclusively from Absoft.

Special Features
  • IBM has selected Absoft as the single point of contact for the new High Performance Computing Software Developer’s Kit for IBM hardware
  • The Kit consists of compilers, debuggers, and other developer tools necessary to implement C++ and Fortran applications on High Performance clusters for faster results
  • Combines commercial and open-source tools to support the ‘Build, debug, run, optimize’ development cycle for high-performance software applications
  • Installs easily, effortlessly – begin developing & deploying HPC codes right away
  • Included IBM XL compilers available exclusively through Absoft under control of the Absoft Common License Manager (ACLM) Floating licenses
  • New concurrent user pricing for floating network license options
  • Speeds time-to-productivity Yields affordable solutions that can be incrementally expanded as workloads grow
  • Allows many choices of the number and type of server, offering ideal solutions for smaller organizations
  • Provides validated configuration with a single point of contact for continuing support
  • Speeds time-to-productivity
  • Revolutionary BladeCenter design delivers the optimal combination of performance density and integration
  • Power processor-based systems optimized for both HPC application environments and for clients desiring an affordable, simplified environment for 32-bit to 64-bit migration
  • Includes useful compiler and debugger software tools from IBM and Absoft to help improve developer productivity and drive higher levels of utility from the cluster
  • Includes access to useful software productivity tools from Absoft, IBM, and open sources to help yield high performance, improve ease-of use, and drive higher levels of utility from the cluster.
  • One year of free Absoft technical support gives you peace of mind that any questions or problems you have will be handled in a quick and prompt manner.
  • Single point of contact for all HPC SDK tools and technologies reduces maintenance and ensures that “It Just Works”
  • Pre-configured & tightly integrated software components reduces development time by allowing developer to focus on the “Compile, Run, Debug, Optimize” cycle.
  • Flexible Absoft Modules technology allows for easy customization and control of the development enviroment. Developers now can spend more time coding and less time trying to make their development environment work.
  • Consolidated licensing and management tools eliminate component maintenance headaches.
  • Absoft’s “Tri-click” installation and configuration makes complicated software easy and painless to use right away – with only three simple clicks, customers can install the entire tool kit.
Performance

IBM's innovative, industry-leading POWER architecture meets the high-performance demands for modern customers with a proven roadmap in 32-bit and 64-bit computing that has built upon the history of IBM's chip technology. Known as the first "server on a chip," the POWER architecture offers customers technology solutions that complement the flexibility of Linux and capitalize on the growing demand for 64-bit applications.

IBM® pSeries Linux servers provide:

  • Large memory capabilities
  • Advanced floating point computing
  • 64-bit addressability
  • Tuned compilers from Absoft and IBM®

These features allow companies to take full advantage of POWER4 and POWER5 technology to deliver high-performance applications, backed by a proven architecture.

An 8-way p650 achieved leading Linux results on the STREAM benchmark which is a synthetic program written in FORTRAN that measures sustainable memory bandwidth (in MB/s) and the corresponding computation rate for simple vector kernels.

IBM® pSeries® systems are available with SUSE and Red Hat Linux operating systems (OS) on IBM's POWER microprocessor-based architecture. The recently introduced IBM eServer BladeCenterT JS20 is also based on the POWER architecture, is enabled for SUSE Linux and gives IBM customers a POWER processor-based, low-cost, high-performance computing solution in a BladeCenter environment.

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Ease of Use

The HPC developer will encounter a simple, intuitive environment that allows the developer to focus on the debug, run, optimize development cycle. The HPC SDK makes cluster development pleasant and productive for beginner and advanced developers alike. The HPC SDK also will grow with you in the future, allowing for installation of best of breed add on’s to enhance the base SDK to further improve productivity and performance.

IBM Departmental Supercomputing Solutions are comprehensive cluster packages offered in a variety of configurations to suit the needs of smaller organizations. Each cluster consists of compute servers devoted to running applications, a management server in place for administering the cluster resources, and a network interconnect to allow communications to and among the compute servers.

The combination of IBM Departmental Supercomputing Solutions, and the HPC SDK software development environment create a cohesive, complete HPC software development solution. Experienced users will appreciate the HPC SDK’s ability to customize their development environment. Switching between compilers, modifying development environments, adding additional tools and changing the configuration is simple and easy using the Absoft Modules Environment.

The HPC SDK is a complete High Performance Computing Software Development environment that is easy to install, simple to use, and incorporates the most powerful, best-of-breed HPC development tools available. The new Absoft HPC SDK will be available for all configurations of IBM Linux on Power clusters and servers running Red Hat’s RHEL 3 or SuSE’s SLES 9. The basic HPC SDK comes pre-configured and includes: IBM’s performance leading XL Fortran and XL C/C++ compilers, Absoft’s multi-platform compatible Fortran95 compiler, Absoft’s multi-language Fx2 Debugging Solution, IBM’s highly optimized ESSL Mathematical and Scientific Libraries and LAM/MPI. The HPC SDK comes with a common installer and a common license manager available exclusively from Absoft.

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Availability Date

December 19 2004
  • Electronic Delivery full Media Documentation

December 31 2004

  • Mail orders shipped
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Terms and Conditions

Agreement: Absoft Software License Agreement.
See Also:
The IBM End User License Agreement (EULA) should be reviewed prior to purchase of XL C/C++ Enterprise Edition.

The IBM End User License Agreement (EULA) should be reviewed prior to purchase of XL Fortran Enterprise Edition.

Limited warranty applies: Yes

Warranty: Absoft and its Licensors warrant that the media on which the software is supplied shall be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. For additional warranty information, see the Absoft Software License Agreement.

Introductory Software Maintenance applies: From date of purchase until version is no longer current; charges may apply afterwards.

Absoft branded products include Premier Technical Support and Initial Software Maintenance at no additional charge from the time of purchase for as long as the purchased version remains the current release version.

IBM includes one year of Software Maintenance with the initial license acquisition of each program acquired. The initial period of Software Maintenance can be extended by the purchase of a renewal option that is available.

Premier Technical Support

Premier Technical Support includes free technical assistance for routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions, limited code-related questions, access to the Absoft user forum and FAQ's and access to friendly technical support engineers via fax, email or telephone during normal support hours. Premier Technical Support is at no charge is as long as the purchased product version is current or the customer is still under Initial or Continuing Software Maintenance.

Initial Software Maintenance (ISM)

Initial Software Maintenance includes free electronic downloads of all interim Service Packs and Quick Fixes from Absoft. Version upgrades require separate purchase but at discounted prices.

Continuing Software Maintenance (CSM)

At the conclusion of the Initial Software Maintenance term (i.e. when a new version of the purchased product is released) customers may either purchase a Product Upgrade or within 30 days of the new product release, purchase Continuing Software Maintenance (CSM) for an additional 12 month maintenance term. Continuing Software Maintenance includes all elements of Premier Technical support plus all Product Upgrades issued during the 12 month Continuing Software Maintenance term. Annual renewals of Software Maintenance will be made available at low-cost to customers who renew within their unexpired Maintenance term.

For users electing not to renew Continuing Software Maintenance and having expired maintenance terms but later wishing to rejoin CSM, Reinstatement Software Maintenance (RSM) terms may be purchased.

Third party products distributed by Absoft are subject to license terms and policies of their respective manufacturers.

Disclaimer: Premier Technical Support cannot be used as a tutorial to assist in the design and development of applications, use of programs in other than their specified operating environment, provide instructions on general system operation or explore failures caused by products for which Absoft is not responsible under this agreement.

MaxFlex· Flexible Licensing available: No

Floating Network Licenses available: Yes

Copy and use on home/portable computer: Yes. Absoft's no charge companion home license policy allows registered users to install Fortran 95 on their home system at no additional charge. 

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System Requirements

Recommended Minimum
  • IBM Power™ Series processor: POWER4 or POWER5
  • 256MB RAM
  • 130MB HD space

      

The HPC SDK is specially designed and optimized for clusters using IBM’s POWER4 and POWER5 architecture running Linux. The specific operating system versions supported are:

  • SUSE™ Linux Enterprise Server 9 (SLES 9)
  • Red Hat™ Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 3.0 AS, ES and WS


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Try and Buy

There is no demo available for the HPC SDK.

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Compatibility & Companion Products

Software is what turns a collection of interconnected servers into a powerful yet manageable cluster for high performance and scalable computing. The IBM Departmental Supercomputing Solutions are delivered with cluster management software from IBM. The collection of software helps derive maximum performance and utility from the cluster as well as ease systems management and enable rapid time-to-productivity.


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