Birds of a Feather

European RISC-V HPC and AI Pre-Exascale Accelerators

Authors: Carlos Puchol (Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)), Marco Aldinucci (CINI - Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per l’Informatica), Miquel Pericàs (Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden)

Abstract: This BoF aims to foster discussion on RISC-V accelerators led by efforts on European accelerators for HPC and foster community interest in these projects. There are several accelerator efforts around the HPC community in Europe, many of them leveraging and fostering the RISC-V ecosystem. We will start with a short presentation (15 minutes) on a brief overview of current efforts and a quick insight into EUPILOT (part of the European Processor Initiative - EPI effort) to start the conversation. A Q&A session and open discussion with audience members will follow the introduction.

Long Description: This BoF session would like to foster discussions and interest in RISC-V accelerators led by European accelerators for High-Performance Computing (HPC) projects and generate community interest in these types of efforts. In Europe, there is a vibrant landscape of accelerator initiatives within the HPC community, many leveraging and fostering the RISC-V ecosystem and other innovative architectures. The primary goal of this BoF is to provide a platform for individuals interested in the status, architectures, and roadmap of European accelerators for HPC.

The expected outcome of this BoF session is to stimulate interest and curiosity surrounding European accelerator efforts. The session highlights projects such as EPAC, EUPILOT, MEEP, eProcessor, and commercial endeavours. These initiatives play a pivotal role in driving advancements in HPC and are poised to shape the future of computing. Furthermore, the session will explore the standards these accelerators leverage, including RISC-V, OCP, CXL, the programming models they use (MPI, OpenMP), their application targets (HPC, ML, AI, Data Analytics, etc.), and their evolution, and prospective impact. Understanding the underlying standards is essential for collaboration and interoperability within the HPC ecosystem.

The BoF session will touch on the programming models employed by these accelerators. By discussing the programming paradigms, attendees can gain insights into the methodologies used to develop software and applications fully utilising accelerated hardware. Furthermore, the session will address the diverse application targets of these accelerators, including HPC, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, and more. Understanding the specific domains where these accelerators excel enables attendees to assess their potential impact on scientific research, industry, and society.

The session will commence with a concise presentation lasting approximately 15 minutes. This presentation will briefly overview the current accelerator efforts across Europe. It will highlight the key initiatives, their goals, and their significance in the HPC landscape. Additionally, the presentation will offer a closer look at one specific accelerator effort, namely EUPILOT, which is part of the broader European Processor Initiative (EPI) project. This in-depth exploration of EUPILOT will provide attendees with valuable insights into its architecture, design principles, and potential applications.

This BoF session on European accelerators for HPC aims to nurture community and collaboration among individuals interested in this field. By exploring the various projects, standards, programming models, and application domains, attendees will gain valuable insights into the advancements happening in European accelerator research and development.

Website: https://eupilot.eu/event/sc23/