NVIDIA CUDA architecture now supported directly in the high-performance computing (HPC) industry-leading PGI Fortran compiler

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 17 -- The Portland Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of STMicroelectronics, today announced the general availability of its CUDA Fortran compiler for x64 and x86 processor-based systems running Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. Developed in collaboration with NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the inventor of the graphics processing unit (GPU), PGI Release 2010 includes the first Fortran compiler compatible with the NVIDIA line of CUDA-enabled GPUs. A compiler is a software tool that translates applications from the high-level programming languages in which they are written by software developers into a binary form a computer can execute.

With developers taking advantage of the hundreds of cores and the relatively low cost of NVIDIA GPUs, programming to take advantage of the CUDA C compiler has become a popular means for accelerating the solution of complex computing problems. The PGI CUDA Fortran compiler is expected to accelerate GPU adoption even further in the high-performance computing (HPC) industry, where many important applications are written in Fortran. HPC is the field of technical computing engaged in the modeling and simulation of complex processes, such as ocean modeling, weather forecasting, environmental modeling, seismic analysis, bioinformatics and other areas.

"The GPU is ideally suited for the computationally intensive applications that define the HPC industry," said Andy Keane, general manager of Tesla business at NVIDIA. "The industry has been vocal in expressing its need for a CUDA-compatible Fortran option. NVIDIA customers can now build native CUDA Fortran applications using the widely-used and long-proven PGI Fortran compiler."

The CUDA Fortran compiler is compatible with all NVIDIA GPUs that include Compute Capability 1.3 or higher, which includes most NVIDIA Quadro Professional Graphics solutions and all NVIDIA Tesla GPU Computing solutions. Developers are invited to download the PGI CUDA Fortran compiler from The Portland Group website at www.pgroup.com/support/downloads.php.

A 15-day trial license is available at no charge. In an effort to simplify adoption, NVIDIA has granted PGI rights to redistribute the relevant components of the CUDA Software Development Kit (SDK) as part of the PGI CUDA Fortran installation package.

PGI products are used widely in high-performance computing (HPC). PGI compilers are recognized in the HPC community for delivering world-class performance across a wide spectrum of applications and benchmarks, and they are referenced regularly as the industry standard for performance and reliability. More information on the CUDA Fortran compiler is available directly from The Portland Group Web site at www.pgroup.com/cudafortran.

GPU computing forums for news, discussion and programming tips are available at forums.nvidia.com and www.pgroup.com/userforum.

About The Portland Group

The Portland Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of STMicroelectronics, is the premier supplier of high-performance parallel Fortran, C, and C++ compilers and tools for 64-bit x64 and 32-bit x86 processor-based workstations, servers and clusters. Further information on The Portland Group products can be found at www.pgroup.com , by calling Sales at (503) 682-2806, or by email to sales@pgroup.com.

About STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is a global leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications with innovative semiconductor solutions. ST aims to be the undisputed leader in multimedia convergence and power applications leveraging its vast array of technologies, design expertise and combination of intellectual property portfolio, strategic partnerships and manufacturing strength. In 2008, the company's net revenues were $9.84 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.

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Source: STMicroelectronics