D7.1: Periodic Report on Applications Enabling

Task T7.1 “Enabling Applications Codes for PRACE Systems” in Work Package 7 (WP7) of PRACE-4IP aims to provide application enabling support for the HPC applications which are important for the European researchers and small and medium enterprises to ensure the applications can effectively exploit HPC systems. There were two activities in T7.1:
T7.1.A Petascaling & Optimisation Support for Preparatory Access Projects:
This activity provided code enabling and optimisation to European researchers as well as industrial projects to make their applications ready for Tier-0 systems. Projects can continuously apply for such services via the Preparatory Access Call Type C (PA C) with a cut-off every three months for evaluation of the proposals. Five Preparatory Access Calls have been carried out in PRACE-4IP. The report focuses on the optimization work and results gained by the completed projects in PRACE-4IP and will report the last PA C projects of PRACE-3IP, which finished after the last Deliverable of PRACE-3IP was completed, and therefore have not be reported so far. In total seven PA C projects have finished their work. The statistics about the PA C calls in PRACE-4IP as well as a description of the call organization itself is also included. The results of the completed projects have also been documented in white papers, which were published on the PRACE-RI website.
T7.1.B SHAPE:
This activity continued the support for SHAPE (the SME HPC Adoption Programme in Europe). SHAPE aims to raise awareness and provide European SMEs with the expertise necessary to take advantage of the innovation possibilities created by High-Performance Computing (HPC), thus increasing their competitiveness. It holds regular calls, and successful applicants to the SHAPE programme get support effort from a PRACE HPC expert and access to machine time at a PRACE centre. In collaboration with the SME, the PRACE partner helps them try out their ideas for utilising HPC to enhance their business.
This report focusses on the second call of SHAPE, looking at the results of the projects and lessons learned from the perspective of both the SMEs and the PRACE partners. In addition, it covers the recently closed third call for projects, outlining changes to the application process both already implemented and recommended for future calls.