Many modern computer systems make use of multiple processing units in order to improve computing performance. Such systems include:

• simple multicore CPUs (i.e. one computer with one CPU having multiple cores),
  
• multi-CPU PCs and SMP workstations (symmetric multiprocessor, typically 2 to 8 CPUs),
• large massively parallel distributed systems with typically 128 to 1024 CPUs (which can again be multicore).

In order to gain the most benefit from the computational hardware, parallel versions of FEKO support state-of-the-art interconnect technologies like GigE, Myrinet, Infiniband or vendor proprietary interconnects like the SGI NumaFlex technology.

In FEKO all the solution phases for all the various numerical techniques have been parallelised, e.g. the ray-tracing for UTD, the MoM matrix setup and solution, the near- and far-field calculations and also seemingly simple things such as power loss computations.

We are very proud of the parallel efficiency of the MLFMM in FEKO. Even for this mathematically complex technique all the phases of the solution process (near-field matrix setup, aggregation, translation, disaggregation, pre-conditioning, iterative solution etc.) have been parallelised rigorously. The efficiency of the parallel implementation in FEKO is in the order of 80% to 95%, depending on the problem and the solution phase etc. This means that for a system with 32 processors the run-time would be approximately 26 times (0.8*32) faster than on a sequential run, i.e. a single processor.

Total run-time efficiency (all solution phases) for parallel MLFMM solution of a problem with 3.18 million unknowns.

Intel Cluster Ready

The "Intel Cluster Ready" program facilitates easier design, build and deployment of cluster computers. Developers of cluster computing software (such as FEKO) can validate their software for use on standard Intel cluster environments and be be certified as Independent Software Vendors (ISV) by Intel.

FEKO is dedicated to improving the performance of our software in cluster computing environments and work closely with Intel engineers in this endeavour. As such FEKO was certified as ISV by Intel in 2007 and may proudly brand our software with the Intel Cluster Ready logo. This means that FEKO customers can purchase an Intel Cluster Ready certified computer with the confidence that FEKO has been qualified on this computing environment and will work straight out of the box.