Program

Please find below the abstracts of the invited talks in chronological order of presentation together with short bios of the speakers.

Invited Talks

Wednesday, 18 February 2009 - 09.15–11.00
Future of the Internet Communication: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities of Peer-to-Peer Mechanisms
 Ralf Steinmetz, Darmstadt University of Technology, DE

Thursday, 19 February 2009 - 09.30–11.00
ProActive Parallel Suite: A Strong Programming Model Bridging Distributed and Multi-Core Computing
 Denis Caromel, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, INRIA, CNRS, IUF, FR

Friday, 20 February 2009 - 13.00–14.30
IBM Technology for High Performance Computing
 Klaus Gottschalk, IBM Germany, DE

Abstract and Short Bios

Future of the Internet Communication: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities of Peer-to-Peer Mechanisms
Ralf Steinmetz, Darmstadt University of Technology, DE

Abstract The decentralization of Internet communication is an increasing trend in the last years. We witnessed the boom peer-to-peer communication paradigm brought in file sharing applications, content distribution like KaZaA and BitTorrent, VoIP application like Skype and video streaming like Joost and Zattoo. The peer-to-peer networks led to an increase of interaction between users for decreased costs as these are build on an infrastructure in which users consume and provide content at the same time. There is a rising need for users to easily communicate, collaborate and share their user-generated content. However, not only the users are interested in better results, but also the Internet service providers are focusing on the mechanisms used. They try to minimize the costs generated by peer-to-peer applications in their networks.

There are many issues and challenges applying to the peer-to-peer paradigm. As peer-topeer system rely on the sharing of the resources of their participants, the contribution of the peers needs to be guaranteed. The problem of free-riders, participants who consume much more than they share, needs to be eliminated for the sake of an efficient and functional p2p systems. Incentives should be implemented such that it do not apply additional complexity and costs to the system. Talking about QoS in decentralized autonomous (peer-to-peer) systems brings a challenge for a self-optimization not only on peer but also on system level. The distributed, self-organizing Efficiency and Information Management System (EMS) SkyEye.KOM brings an ‘Oracle view’ on peer-to-peer systems. It collects and aggregates information about system components and uses it for analyzing and forecasting the system status using mathematical models. This knowledge can be used by the different functional domains of the peer-to-peer system in order to enable a more efficient resource usage by applying QoS strategies and setting priorities.

Research in the field urges addressing quality properties of peer-to-peer systems. The project QuaP2P focuses on the systematic improvement of the adaptability, efficiency, validity and security of peer-to-peer systems. As a proof of concept, all developed mechanisms and findings are integrated in two new peer-to-peer application areas - a first response system and a collaborative software development environment showing new opportunities of the peer-to-peer paradigm.

Short Bio Prof. Ralf Steinmetz worked for over nine years in industrial research and development of distributed multimedia systems and applications. He has been head, since 1996, of the Multimedia Communications lab at Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany.

From 1997 to 2001 he directed the Fraunhofer (former GMD) Integrated Publishing Systems Institute IPSI in Darmstadt. In 1999 he founded the Hessian Telemedia Technology Competence Center (httc e.V.). His thematic focus in research and teaching is on multimedia communications with his vision of real "seamless multimedia communications". With over 200 refereed publications he has become ICCC Governor in 1999; was awarded the ranking of Fellow of both, the IEEE in 1999 and the ACM in 2002. Professor Dr. Ralf Steinmetz is a member of the Scientific Council and president of the Board of Trustees of the international research institute IMDEA Networks.

ProActive Parallel Suite: A Strong Programming Model Bridging Distributed and Multi-Core Computing
Denis Caromel, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, INRIA, CNRS, IUF, FR

Abstract ProActive (http://proactive.inria.fr/) is a GRID Java library (Source code under GPL license) for parallel, distributed, and concurrent computing, also featuring mobility and security in a uniform framework. ProActive aimed at simplifying the programming of applications that are distributed on Local Area Network (LAN), on cluster of workstations, or GRIDs, and of course, Clouds. ProActive promotes a strong NoC approach, Network On Ship, to cope seamlessly with both distributed and shared-memory multi-core machines. A theoretical foundation ensures constant behavior, whatever the environment.

Interactive and graphical GUI and tools will also be presented during the talk, illustrating the components of ProActive Parallel Suite:

Short Bio Denis Caromel is full professor at University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis and CNRS-INRIA. He is also member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), a multi-disciplinary national academia that select a few professors based on the excellence of their research records. His research interests include parallel, concurrent, and distributed object-oriented programming. He has published more than 70 scientific papers in referred international journals and conferences, and edited 5 volumes of Lecture Notes. In 2005 he published a monograph, A Theory of Distributed Objects, together with Ludovic Henrio.

Denis serve(s/d) many academic venues at various positions (Conference Chair, Program Committee Chair, Organizer Chair, Tutorials Chair), and gave many invited talks on Object, Parallel and Distributed Computing around the world (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Berkeley, Stanford, ISI, USC, Electrotechnical Laboratory Tsukuba, Sydney, Oracle-BEA EMEA, Digital System Research Center in Palo Alto, NASA Langley, IBM Tom Watson and Zurich, Harvard Medical School and MIT). He acted as keynote speaker at several major conferences (MDM, DAPSYS, CGW, etc.)

Denis Caromel is also the founder and scientific adviser of ActiveEon, a Professional Open Source startup company dedicated to parallel and distributed computing (http://www.ActiveEon.com).

IBM Technology for High Performance Computing
Klaus Gottschalk, IBM Germany, DE

Abstract IBM builds different technologies for the various aspects of High Performance Computing. The talk presents the use of POWER, x96 and Cell technology for HPC and explains examples of well known systems like the TOP500 #1 LANL Roadrunner.

Short Bio Klaus Gottschalk is the IBM Deep Computing system architect and IT Specialist Profession Leader for Germany. He supports HPC customers at scientific, research and industry HPC sites in Germany and Europe. He joined IBM in 1992 and works on scientific and technical computing since then. Klaus holds a diploma in Mathematics from University of Tübingen.