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The NOMAD mini-apps: A suite of kernels from ab initio electronic structure codes enabling co-design in high-performance computing

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  1. Isidre Mas Magre ,  
  2. Rogeli Grima Torres ,  
  3. José María Cela Espín ,  
  4. José Julio Gutierrez Moreno
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Abstract

This article introduces a suite of mini-applications (mini-apps) designed to optimise computational kernels in ab initio electronic structure codes. The suite is developed from flagship applications participating in the NOMAD Center of Excellence, such as the ELPA eigensolver library and the GW implementations of the exciting, Abinit, and FHI-aims codes. The mini-apps were identified by targeting functions that significantly contribute to the total execution time in the parent applications. This strategic selection allows for concentrated optimisation efforts. The suite is designed for easy deployment on various High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems, supported by an integrated CMake build system for straightforward compilation and execution. The aim is to harness the capabilities of emerging (post)exascale systems, which necessitate concurrent hardware and software development — a concept known as co-design. The mini-app suite serves as a tool for profiling and benchmarking, providing insights that can guide both software optimisation and hardware design. Ultimately, these developments will enable more accurate and efficient simulations of novel materials, leveraging the full potential of exascale computing in material science research.

Plain Language Summary

Imagine if you could test and improve a race car while it’s being built, ensuring it performs at its best when it hits the track. This is similar to what scientists and engineers are doing with the newest and fastest computers, known as (exascale) high-performance computers (HPC). These powerful machines can handle extremely complex calculations, like predicting new materials for batteries, solar cells or engineering structures. However, to make sure these computers work well with the modelling tools that computational scientists use, they need to be fine-tuned together. This process is called co-design.

Our article introduces a set of tools called mini-apps, which are simplified versions of larger code used for materials and molecular modelling at the atomic scale. These mini-apps are designed to drive the co-design process, focusing on the most demanding parts of these codes and ensuring that the real software will perform efficiently on HPC. This suite of mini-apps is like a bridge between electronic structure calculations, the discovery of novel materials, and the cutting-edge field of HPC.

Corresponding author
José Julio Gutierrez Moreno
0000-0002-1564-9879
Grant information

This work has been funded and developed within the framework of the NOMAD Centre or Excellence, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 951786. We acknowledge partial funding from the European Union's MaX CoE, under grant agreement No. 101093374, co-funded by the European HPC Joint Undertaking (JU) and participating countries, and from the Machine-learning-driven bottom-up design of atomically-layered heterostructures for green production (MLALH) project, awarded by the EIG CONCERT-Japan call with reference PCI2023-143426 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union.

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Copyright
© 2024 Isidre Mas Magre (Co-Author); Rogeli Grima Torres (Co-Author); José María Cela Espín (Co-Author); José Julio Gutierrez Moreno (Corresponding Author, Co-Author) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Authors & roles

Isidre Mas Magre

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

Roles
Co-Author, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0009-0005-7805-2091

Rogeli Grima Torres

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

Roles
Co-Author, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0002-4103-291X

José María Cela Espín

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

Roles
Co-Author, Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Software, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0002-0122-1468

José Julio Gutierrez Moreno

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Plaça Eusebi Güell, 1-3, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

Roles
Corresponding Author, Co-Author, Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project Administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing
0000-0002-1564-9879

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