A UNIX interface to supercomputers

We describe a convenient interface between UNIX-based work-stations or minicomputers, and supercomputers such as the CRAY series machines. Using this interface, the user can issue commands entirely on the UNIX system, with remote compilation, loading and execution performed on the supercomputer. The interface is not a remote login interface. Rather the domain of various UNIX utilities such as compilers, archivers and loaders are extended to include the CRAY. The user need know essentially nothing about the CRAY operating system, commands or filename restrictions. Standard UNIX utilities will perform CRAY operations transparently. UNIX command names and arguments are mapped to corresponding CRAY equivalents, suitable options are selected as needed, UNIX directory tree filenames are coerced to allowable CRAY names and all source and output files are automatically transferred between the machines. The primary purpose of the software is to allow the programmer to benefit from the interactive features of UNIX systems including screen editors, software maintenance utilities such as make and SCCS and in general to avail of the large set of UNIX text manipulation features. The interface was designed particularly to support development of very large multi-file programs, possibly consisting of hundreds of files and hundreds of thousands of lines of code. All CRAY source is kept on the work-station. We have found that using the software, the complete program development phase for a large CRAY application may be performed entirely on a work-station

Experiences With Atm: The Batman Perspective

ATM interconnection of computers and supercomputers offers exciting prospects for building both LAN's and WAN's because of the expected economies of scale, wide penetration of ATM, and future scalability to higher bandwidths. The BATMAN ATM trial was developed in Boulder, Colorado by US West to determine the feasibility of ATM for computing applications. In this paper we describe the BATMAN trial and report performance measurements of three types: communication between workstations, communication, between supercomputers and access rates from computers to mass storage. In each case we find that the ATM WAN provided an efficient and effective transport mechanism, and limiting bandwidth effects are invariably within the computers and mass storage systems. 1. Overview: Computers and High Speed Networking Gigabit networking has been the focus of considerable ongoing research over the past decade. Primarily oriented around the needs of the supercomputer community, early work concentrated on..

Social Search

Today, most people find what they are looking for online by using search engines such as Google, Bing, or Baidu. Modern web search engines have evolved from their roots in information retrieval to developing new ways to cope with the unique nature of web search. In this chapter, we review recent research that aims to make search a more social activity by combining readily available social signals with various strategies for using these signals to influence or adapt more conventional search results. The chapter begins by framing the social search landscape in terms of the sources of data available and the ways in which this can be leveraged before, during, and after search. This includes a number of detailed case studies that serve to mark important milestones in the evolution of social search research and practice.Science Foundation IrelandInsight Research Centr