Parallel Computing Empowers Industry

by Ute Gärtel

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A workshop for the furthering of High Performance Computing and Networking (HPCN) in industry was performed on May 21, 1996, by the GMD-Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing. Goal of the initiative, carried out together with the Institute for Parallel and Distributed Computing of the University of Stuttgart, was to open up new branches and application fields as well as small and medium enterprises for parallel computing.

Occasion was the fact, that the European Commission has just started new initiatives for furthering 'HPCN at large'. The very successful Europort project is considered as first large breakthrough for parallel computing technology in industry at all. Now parallel and distributed computing shall be introduced into branches that lay beyond the classical HPC application fields as well as into small and medium enterprises. The use of connected personal computers or workstations, of parallel high performance computers and the connection of (heterogeneous) systems, which may even be located at remote sites, by high-speed networks, will provide computational power that helps to enhance efficiency and competitiveness of the European industry.
The first part of the workshop conveyed an impression on the state-of-the-art of HPCN in industry. Five speakers gave presentations on projects in central HPCN themes such as parallel computing in industrial simulation and design, multi-site applications, embedded systems, information management and decision support and treated the question, wether HPCN is usable in industry today.

In the afternoon, Max Lemke from the European Commission (EC) gave an overview of the EC's funding program for HPCN newcomers and technology transfer. 'HPCN Preparatory Support and Transfer Activities' will comprise a whole spectrum that reaches from awareness creation campaigns and assessments in order to 'stimulate more industrial enterprises to incorporate HPCN technology into their processes or products' to best practice actions that shall 'adopt, transfer and ensure take-up of mature and proven HPCN applications and practices in new environments under real working conditions'. A network of Technology Transfer Nodes will provide services to the participants of activities in HPCN Preparatory Support and Transfer and stimulate further participation of industry.

The meeting closed with an hour of feedback from the auditorium and lively discussion. In particular, possible benefits and costs and facilities for an efficient entrance into the new technology were discussed. Although the one or other workshop attendee mentioned doubts concerning the readiness or practicability of the technology, many participants showed themselves interested in getting started.

Indeed, the workshop demonstrated, that time is mature for the step into widespread industrial use of HPCN. One sign was already given by the surprisingly large interest in the (national) meeting: More than 130 participants came from all over Germany, half of them from industry. Many small and medium enterprises as well as many different branches were represented, among them: automobile and chemical industry, robotics, fuzzy logic, quality management, microelectronics, meteorology, environments, energy, biocomputing, medicine, metal industry, electrotechnics, engineering, software and computer industry.

Please contact:
Ute Gärtel - GMD
Tel: +49 2241 14 2746
E-mail: ute.gaertel@gmd.de

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