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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Informatics : Informatics - Distance Learning

Postgraduate Course: Threaded Programming (INFD11012)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Informatics CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course typeOnline Distance Learning AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
Summary*This course is delivered online for students on Online Learning programmes within the College of Science and Engineering only. On-campus students interested in the material should refer to INFR11178 Threaded Programming*

This course is a practical introduction to parallel programming using the threading model, which is commonly used on shared memory and multicore hardware. The majority of the course is focused on teaching the use of the industry standard OpenMP API.
Course description After taking this course students should have a good practical understanding of multithreaded programming and be competent OpenMP programmers.

The course makes use of lecture content delivered in both video form and delivered live via e.g. Blackboard Collaborate. Practical activities will be set for students to undertake in their own time in advance of regular tutorial sessions run via Blackboard Collaborate, with discussion and support available from other students, demonstrators, and staff via dedicated discussion areas (e.g. Learn Discussion Boards, Mattermost).

The course will cover the following topics:
- Basic concepts of shared memory: threads, tasks, shared/private data, synchronisation.
- Concepts of OpenMP: parallel regions, shared/private variables, parallel loops, reductions
- OpenMP parallel regions and associated clauses
- OpenMP worksharing directives, scheduling of parallel loops
- OpenMP synchronisation: barriers, critical sections, atomics, locks.
- OpenMP tasks
- Additional features of OpenMP: nesting, orphaning, threadprivate globals, OpenMP 4.0 features
- OpenMP implementations
- Memory models.

Lectures will be followed by a practical examples illustrating the key concepts. Students will have the choice of using either C or Fortran in the practical programming sessions on OpenMP.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Practical Introduction to High Performance Computing (INFD11009) OR Practical Introduction to High Performance Computing (INFR11184)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Threaded Programming (INFR11178)
Other requirements Students are required to be familiar with C or Fortran for practical exercises.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesStudents are required to be familiar with C or Fortran for practical exercises.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the key concepts of multithreaded programming
  2. Understand syntax and semantics of the OpenMP API
  3. Apply their knowledge to write a correct OpenMP program in C/C++ or Fortran
  4. Understand and apply the advanced features of OpenMP
  5. Analyse and evaluate key factors affecting performance of threaded programs
Reading List
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/using-openmp

https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/using-openmp-next-step
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Effective written and diagrammatic communication.
Technical writing.
Data collection and analysis.
Reflection on learning and practice.
Adaptation to circumstances.
Solution Exploration, Evaluation and Prioritisation.
Special Arrangements Please note this course is designed for Online Learning students. On-campus students should instead enrol on INFR11178.
Additional Class Delivery Information Fully delivered online. On-campus students have access to INFR11178 instead.
KeywordsProgramming,threads,parallel,shared memory,OpenMP,HPC,EPCC,Parallelism,HPC,Programming
Contacts
Course organiserDr Mark Bull
Tel: (0131 6)50 6717
Email: markb@epcc.ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr James Richards
Tel: 90131 6)51 3578
Email: J.Richards@epcc.ed.ac.uk
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