BIG DATA
Absoft Announces New Fortran Compiler
Absoft Corporation, a leading developer of compilers, debuggers and software development tools for high performance computing, announced the new Absoft Pro Fortran v10.1 Compiler Suite for x86-64 systems, which includes tuning for new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors. Absoft and AMD are co-operating to advance compiler technology to simplify migration to, and increase performance on, new systems based on AMD quad-core technology.
Absoft Pro Fortran v10.1 adds auto-parallelization, auto-vectorization and provides improved performance in several areas on 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Absoft's Fx3 Debugger has been enhanced with expanded functionality and an improved graphical user interface. The first platform supported by Absoft's new suite will be Linux, with versions for Windows and MacOS to follow later this fall. Pro Fortran v10.1, the first Linux release to be added to Absoft's full 'Pro' development environment, includes not only the improved compiler and graphical debugger, but also a programmer's editor, Absoft's graphical Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Fortran/C, math libraries and graphics. Pricing starts at $599. Absoft and AMD are working together to extend the auto-parallelization technology to automatically detect available cores and improve efficiency of code generation for AMD's dual-core and quad-core processors. "The new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor is exciting for our customers because it is the first native quad-core on a single piece of silicon. Further, the improved I/O, new core, and cache enhancements allow higher performance while consuming less energy. This advancement from AMD benefits all Absoft Fortran customers, from desktop to those on high performance workstations and HPC clusters," said Wood Lotz, president of Absoft Corporation. "The optimizations in our latest v10.1 compiler are showing significant speed increases in several areas and will be available to our customers soon. Absoft is committed to continued development of our products for AMD processors and to ensure Absoft customers have the highest performance available with AMD single- and multi-core computing systems," continued Lotz. Absoft Fortran v10.1 allows customers to automatically generate code targeted toward multi-core systems so performance upgrades may require little more than a recompile. Absoft will release additional features supporting Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors in Fall 2007. These enhancements will be available via download to registered v10.1 customers at no charge. "AMD understands the issues developers are facing as they try to keep pace with the evolving world of multi-core processor technology. As a result, AMD is working with experienced tools vendors like Absoft to enable the compiler to generate high-performance and multi-threaded code for the community of Linux developers who are using Fortran," said Earl Stahl, vice president, Software Engineering, AMD. "We look forward to working with Absoft to advance performance and help accelerate code migration to our new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor."