In my last post about optimization, I’ve derived my function analytically. Sometimes, it’s not as easy. Sometimes also, a simple gradient optimization is not enough.
scikits.optimization has a special class for handling numerical differentiation, and several tools for conjugate gradients.
We have now several petaflopic clusters available in the Top500. Of course, we are trying to get the most of their peak computational power, but I think we should sometimes also look at optimal resource allocation.
I’ve been thinking about this for several months now, for work that has thousands of tasks, each task being massively data parallel. Traditionnally, one launches a job through one’s favorite batch scheduler (favorite or mandatory…) with fixed resources and during an estimated amount of time. This may work well in research, but in the industrial world, there often a new job that arises and that needs part of your scarce resources. You may have to stop your work, loose your current advances and/or restart the job with less resources. And then the cycle goes on.
After last week review, I’ve decided to try another book from a much higher standard publisher, Springer. The price is also far higher, but it covers what I think are the current best supports for building automation.
Last few days, I was looking for tools for building automation (I’m investigating the technology I may be using in my future home), so I borrowed this book. It seemed to be on a par with my ideal of home automation: Linux as a ground basis for steering the automation. Let’s see if it kept its promises.