This whitepaper details the use of High Performance Computing HPC in Aerospace & Defense, Earth Sciences, Education And Research, Financial Services among others...

1. NOUSINFOSYSTEMS
L E V E R A G I N G I N T E L L E C T
HIGH PERFORMANCE
COMPUTING (HPC):
A BRIEF OVERVIEW
Rajapandian | Senior Microsoft Consultant

2. 2High Performance Computing (HPC)
ABSTRACT
High Performance Computing refers to
the activity of aggregating the computing
power for parallel processing to run the
advanced program efficiently. If a comput-
er program takes a long time to complete
or multiple instances of a computer
program have to be run, then it’s the right
time to choose HPC and utilize its power
for reliable and quick results.
BENEFITS OF HPC
Most business entities need the ability to
analyze the huge amount of data to solve
their business challenges such as
research, innovation of new products,
increase revenue etc. HPC helps in the
most complex calculations, simulation
and modelling. HPC is affordable for
businesses of all sizes, thanks to technical
advancements and the cloud. HPC has
grown tremendously in the last few years
and is currently used in various sectors.
OIL AND GAS
H
P
C
AEROSPACE & DEFENCE
EDUCATION & RESEARCH
EARTH SCIENCES
FINANCIAL SERVICES
LIFE SCIENCES
MANUFACTURING

3. 3High Performance Computing (HPC)
HPC OVERVIEW
As we know, HPC uses parallel computing
methodology with multiple computers to
perform a common task. HPC is used to
reduce the execution time, run multiple
instances of a computer program and to
meet larger memory needs and storage
requirements of programs.
In HPC, each computer/CPU is called as a
node. When a CPU consists of multiple
processors, each processor is referred to
as a core. HPC cluster consists of a head
node and compute nodes. Head node is
responsible to allocate the task to
compute nodes. Compute nodes are the
set of loosely or tightly connected
computers. Job is the set of tasks that the
HPC has to execute. Each core will run a
task from the job.
User submits the job to head node
through the user interface application.
Multiple jobs can be submitted to the
head node from different users at the
same time. Depending on the availability
of compute nodes, all the jobs can run at
the same time or few jobs will wait in the
queue for other jobs to complete. This
queue based approach ensures that the
hardware is utilized completely. Head
node assigns the tasks to compute node
from the job based on the priority of the
jobs. User can monitor the status of the
job using the tool in head node. Compute
nodes process the data and write the
result to the data server. The final result
can be aggregated and viewed by the user
interface application.
U
S
E
R
I
N
T
E
R
F
A
C
E
Job
Submission
HPC Cluster
HPC Head Node
HPC Compute Nodes
Data
Result

4. Head Node
Computer Node Computer Node Computer NodeComputer Node
Data Server
Head Node
Computer Node Computer Node Computer NodeComputer Node
Data Server
4High Performance Computing (HPC)
LOOSELY COUPLED
SYSTEM
The loosely coupled system can be
chosen when the tasks in a job use
different input parameters and the
dependence between compute nodes is
not needed. In loosely coupled system,
each compute node doesn’t have the
knowledge of the definitions of other
compute nodes.
TIGHTLY COUPLED
SYSTEM
Tightly coupled system is chosen when
the job requires multiple compute nodes
working together to get results. This
needs the communication between the
compute nodes and they depend on one
another. Hence they are scalable to
minimum extent only.
HPC CLOUD
The HPC requires multiple computers to
run in parallel. Hence the investment on
hardware will be high and it will increase
as the business grows. There are chances
that the HPC will not be used on
day-to-day basis. The user may run the
application using HPC once in a month or
quarter. In this scenario, the investment
done on the hardware is idle for a long
time.
HPC cloud comes on a pay-per-use basis,
with an access to infinite resources. Cloud
provides instant availability of systems
with configuration requested by the user.
The initial investment and maintenance
cost in the cloud is less. Loosely coupled
systems are a better fit for the cloud.
Tightly coupled systems have some
limitations on the cloud. Highly scalable
applications make of use of the cloud to
dynamically scale resources up and down
as needed.
A Private Cloud is the set of computers
managed by a third party for the exclusive
use of an enterprise. It is a highly
controlled environment and configured
behind the firewall. It focuses on
compliance and security. A Public Cloud is
the set of computers managed by a third
party for use by other companies. A
Hybrid cloud is the combination of a
Private Cloud and a Public Cloud. In
Hybrid Cloud, an enterprise can use
private cloud for sensitive and critical
workloads and public cloud for less
sensitive information.

5. 5High Performance Computing (HPC)
HPC IN AEROSPACE
& DEFENCE
HPC is used to design aircraft, missile and
rocket using virtual simulation without
spending millions of dollars in prototyping
the product. HPC is also used for naviga-
tion, surveillance and reconnaissance. It is
used in computational structural mechan-
ics, fluid dynamics and electrodynamics.
Sometimes the data is gathered in real
time and analyzed on the fly using HPC to
provide the result to jet fighters immedi-
ately.
HPC IN EDUCATION
AND RESEARCH
Academic institutions educate the
science and engineering students about
computational science techniques to
position them for careers in the cutting
edge technology. Research and academic
institutions use HPC to run calculations
and simulations to address the grand
challenges of computing such as develop-
ing dynamic math models, design of
control systems and simulation of
electronic circuits or mechanical systems.
HPC IN EARTH
SCIENCES
In earth sciences, models are developed
to study the complex processes and
interactions between the numerous
components of the earth system. HPC
uses ensemble modelling to simulate
climate change for weather forecasting
and predict seismic events etc., thus
reducing the risk of environmental
damage. It is used for short range weather
forecasting, seasonal monsoon predic-
tions and atmospheric chemistry model-
ling.

6. 6High Performance Computing (HPC)
HPC IN FINANCIAL
SERVICES
HPC has been used in the financial sector
for many years. Banking and financial
sectors use HPC to run thousands of
calculations using stochastic modelling.
This is to determine the risk at the enter-
prise or customer level or actuarial analy-
sis for insurance. HPC is also used in
pricing and valuation of securities and
derivatives. HPC helps financial institu-
tions to respond quickly to the changing
market environment and take necessary
steps if risk arises.
HPC IN
MANUFACTURING
HPC IN LIFE
SCIENCES
Life sciences is a highly R&D intensive
sector. Computer simulation and model-
ling is essential to study the complex
biochemical systems. HPC is used by
healthcare organizations and pharmaceu-
tical companies to improve the effective-
ness of clinical treatments. HPC is used in
genomics workflows such as DNA and
RNA sequence assembly and alignment.
It is also used in proteomics.
HPC is used in manufacturing sectors
such as chemicals, food processing,
glass, cement, paper, etc., to improve the
efficiency of product development
through Computer Aided Engineering and
simulation. HPC uses predictive modelling
in the manufacturing sector where it simu-
lates and processes millions of data
points to analyze material and design.
In the automobile industry, a crash test is
an expensive one. So manufacturers use
computer modelling and simulation initial-
ly to conduct these tests, before they do
the actual crash test. HPC is used to
improve safety features, reduce noise and
vibration and the for simulations in wind
tunnel experiments.
HPC IN OIL & GAS
The process of finding out the Oil or Gas
drilling location requires significant
computational power. Oil and gas organi-
zations depend on HPC to process huge
amounts of data provided by seismic
acquisition systems and depth imaging
software.

7. CONCLUSION
HPC is essential to be a leader in most of
the industries today. Many business
challenges are highly computational-in-
tensive. HPC is a helping hand to many
sectors in overcoming these challenges
efficiently. Large enterprises have their
own in-house HPC cluster. HPC cloud
attracts SMEs and SMBs to use the HPC
without a huge investment and grow their
business.
ABOUT THE
AUTHORS
Rajapandian works as a Senior Microsoft
Consultant with Nous Infosystems. He
has an overall experience of 8 Years in
Microsoft Technologies. His competency
and areas of expertise include product
and solution analysis and development.
He has vast experience in Insurance and
Music & Entertainment domains. He is a
Computer Science B.Tech Graduate from
National Institute of Technology,
Tiruchirappalli.
Rajapandian
Senior Microsoft Consultant
Nous Infosystems
REFERENCES
• http://insidehpc.com
• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/amit_chatterjee/archive/2010/12/19/
parallelism-in-the-cloud-cluster-and-client.aspx
• http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowshpc/archive/2008/04/14/
how-that-node-socket-core-thing-works.aspx
• https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=1439856427
• https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=0387097651
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