Uso de hardware reconfigurable a través de servicios Web en aplicaciones distribuidas

Este artículo propone una solución sencilla para la utilización de hardware reconfigurable en el contexto de aplicaciones distribuidas. Se ha elegido la tecnología de Servicios Web para proporcionar el acceso remoto a la plataforma reconfigurable. El objetivo es aprovechar las características propias de este tipo de servicios que facilitan el desarrollo de aplicaciones distribuidas junto con las ventajas de utilizar hadrware específico para acelerar el tiempo de ejecución de una tarea crítica. En particular, se ha desarrollado un servicio web para ofrecer, de forma remota, toda la funcionalidad de la plataforma RC1000PP a través de Intenet. Además de las funciones básicas se propone una metodología para el desarrollo de rutinas especializadas de alto nivel, que una vez publicadas, se ofertan para su integración como elemento de proceso en una aplicación distribuida. Con un ejemplo se comprueban las ventajas de esta metodología y se presentan los resultados preliminares del desarrollo de una aplicación.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid con el número de proyecto 07T/0052/2003-3, y parcialmente financiado por el Programa Europeo No: 100671-CP-1-2002-1-FR-MINERVA-M

A Reconfigurable Computing Solution to the Parameterized Vertex Cover Problem

Active research has been done in the past two decades in the field of computational intractability. This thesis explores parallel implementations on a RC (reconfigurable computing) platform for FPT (fixed-parameter tractable) algorithms. Reconfigurable hardware implementations of algorithms for solving NP-Complete problems have been of great interest for research in the past few years. However, most of the research that has been done target exact algorithms for solving problems of this nature. Although such implementations have generated good results, it should be kept in mind that the input sizes were small. Moreover, most of these implementations are instance-specific in nature making it mandatory to generate a different circuit for every new problem instance. In this work, we present an efficient and scalable algorithm that breaks out of the conventional instance-specific approach towards a more general parameterized approach to solve such problems. We present approaches based on the theory of fixed-parameter tractability. The prototype problem used as a case study here is the classic vertex cover problem. The hardware implementation has demonstrated speedups of the order of 100x over the software version of the vertex cover problem

ON SPECIAL-PURPOSE HARDWARE CLUSTERS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTATIONAL GRIDS ∗

The problem of incorporating advanced hardware resources into a grid computing environment is considered. An experimental special-purpose cluster of machines is designed and placed into service on a prototypical grid. The cluster is populated with CAD workstations, PCs and reconfigurable devices, and then used to develop accelerated implementations for amenable applications. Access mechanisms are devised so that users may request either software solutions, which may be satisfied by our cluster or a variety of other clusters resident on the grid, or accelerated solutions, which can only be satisfied by hardwareenhanced clusters such as ours. Preliminary results are described. A number of continuing research issues are addressed

Accelerating Exact Stochastic Simulation of Biochemical Systems

The ability to accurately and efficiently simulate computer models of biochemical systems is of growing importance to the molecular biology and pharmaceutical research communities. Exact stochastic simulation is a popular approach for simulating such systems because it properly represents genetic noise and it accurately represents systems with small populations of chemical species. Unfortunately, the computational demands of exact stochastic simulation often limit its applicability. To enable next-generation whole-cell and multi-cell stochastic modeling, advanced tools and techniques must be developed to increase simulation efficiency. This work assesses the applicability of a variety of hardware and software acceleration approaches for exact stochastic simulation including serial algorithm improvements, parallel computing, reconfigurable computing, and cluster computing. Through this analysis, improved simulation techniques for biological systems are explored and evaluated