On December 14th, 2023 at 11.00 am, in the framework of the project "PAFAM: Pianificazione Automatica della Flotta dell'Aeronautica Militare",  Ten. Giulio Andini, Head of High-Performance Computing Office, will hold a seminar on "Italian Air Force High-Performance Computing Cluster: Foundations, Architecture and Hands-on Practice" in DEIB Beta Room (Building 24).

This seminar provides a comprehensive introduction to High-Performance Computing (HPC) with a focus on its application, performed by the Italian Air Force. The presentation begins by defining HPC and outlining its pivotal role in solving complex problems.
The fundamentals of parallel computing are explored, emphasizing the advantages over serial computing through practical examples on systems like the High-Performance Computing Cluster (HPCC) of the Italian Air Force, located in Pratica di Mare.
A practical demonstration highlights the computational power disparity between a traditional PC and an HPC server computing nodes.
The seminar proceeds to examine the architecture of an HPCC, focusing on cluster concepts, Parallel Storage, and the significance of Infiniband Interconnection. Brief insights into parallel programming methods are provided, including tasks distribution and process coordination, with a focus on scalability and Amdahl's Law. Challenges in parallel computing are addressed, like synchronization, communication issues, and scalability, along with necessary resources and technical constraints to maintain efficiency.
Lastly, the seminar explores the use of containers on HPCC, with a particular emphasis on Singularity, Docker, and Podman, highlighting the crucial role of such technologies in the realm of High-Performance Computing.