Making optimisation programs easier to run

Paul Boughton

The Mathworks is announcing the integration of its Parallel Computing Toolbox with its Matlab optimisation toolboxes to help simplify the development of parallel applications.

Parallel computing capabilities are now integrated inside the optimisation solvers of Mathworks Optimisation Toolbox and Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox, enabling users to solve computationally-intensive optimisation problems on multicore computers and computer clusters without significantly changing their existing programs.

According to The Mathworks, the optimisation toolboxes give engineers and scientists the tools needed to find optimal solutions to problems, perform tradeoff analyses, balance multiple design alternatives and quickly incorporate optimisation methods in their algorithms and models.

The integration of select optimisation solvers with the Parallel Computing Toolbox allows available computational resources to solve more computationally-intensive problems than was previously possible on a single core.

The result is a reduction in the time-to-solution for optimisation problems that are amenable to parallel computing. Example applications include calibrating an automotive engine control unit with experimental data, and identifying an aircraft design that minimises noise while maximising fuel efficiency.

Silvina Grad-Freilich, manager of parallel computing and application deployment marketing of The Mathworks, comments: “This latest announcement demonstrates our company's continued commitment to helping the industry overcome the challenges associated with development of parallel applications. The parallel computing capabilities provided within our toolboxes allow Matlab users to develop parallel applications using exactly the same functions that they use in their serial programs, empowering engineers and scientists to experience the benefits of high-performance computing without necessitating that they learn new skill sets.”

Additional features with this release include support for two additional widely used schedulers in the Parallel Computing Toolbox: PBS Pro from Altair Grid Technologies and Torque. Support for third-party schedulers enable cluster administrators to integrate Mathworks parallel computing tools into their existing distributed computing environments.

Parallel Computing Toolbox

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