Intel Product Launch Impact on CRTech

Why is Intel Parallel Studio being replaced?

On December 8, 2020 Intel launched their new generation tool suite supporting high-performance computing technologies called Intel® oneAPI. OneAPI is unified programming model built on standards to simplify development and deployment of data-centric workloads across CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs and other accelerators. OneAPI is offered as a suite of multiple tool kits: Base (the foundation kit), HPC, IoT, Rendering, and others.

With this release, the full functionality of Parallel Studio XE has been rolled into the bundle of oneAPI Base and HPC (high-performance computing) Toolkits. To support CRTech's software needs for a Fortran compiler, only the HPC Toolkit is required. For more detailed information on this tool kit, see Intel oneAPI HPC Toolkit. Note this kit includes multiple compilers and tools, but only the Fortran compiler is required for CRTech software.

How does this affect CRTech users?

SINDA/FLUINT, the simulation engine for Thermal Desktop, previously required the Intel Fortran compiler, version 11.1.048 or newer. For the majority of our users, this came in the form of Parallel Studio XE. In the past few weeks our development team has been busy making necessary updates to support the new oneAPI HPC Toolkit. We released SINDA/FLUINT 6.1 patch 36 to provide compatibility with the toolkit. As we move forward over the next couple of years, CRTech will be phasing out support for all past versions of Intel Parallel Studio XE, moving strictly to oneAPI HPC Toolkit as a prerequisite.

Starting January 1, 2021, Parallel Studio XE will no longer be available for new purchase. Only oneAPI Toolkits will be available. The HPC toolkit (bundled with the oneAPI Base Toolkit) can be purchased with priority support, or the HPC Toolkit can be used at no cost if you don't need technical support for the product. In addition to technical support, priority support will allow you to download Intel installers for three prior versions through the Intel Registration Center. If a user opts for the no-cost version of HPC Toolkit they will only be able to download the most current version of oneAPI. Customers who build and compile programs outside of SINDA/FLUINT should consider the paid upgrade to oneAPI Base + HPC Toolkit. Customers who only use the compiler through SINDA/FLUINT can use the no-cost version of oneAPI HPC Toolkit. Note priority support is through Intel, not CRTech. If you elect the zero cost download option, your only technical support for the compiler will be through Intel's community forum.

What CRTech users need to know

SINDA/FLUINT Version Compatibility with Intel oneAPI

Version 6.1 Patch 35 or older is not compatible oneAPI HPC Toolkit
Version 6.1 Patch 36 (released December 10, 2020) is compatible with oneAPI HPC Toolkit and retains compatibity with any compiler greater than Intel 11.1.048
Version 6.2 (released Feb 17, 2021)
- Support for Intel Parallel Studio 2017 and older will be dropped
- Support for integrating Intel with Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 or older will be dropped
Version 6.3 (released May 5, 2022): OneAPI will open the doors to new CRTech development work. To allow us to move forward with this new development we will have to abandon the older compilers.
- Support for Intel Parallel Studio 2020 and older will be dropped
- Support for integrating Intel with Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 or older will be dropped

What are your options?
If you are currently using Intel Fortran compiler 11.1 or Intel Parallel Studio XE 2017 or older

SINDA/FLUINT v6.1: You are fine using your current compiler
SINDA/FLUINT v6.2: You will need to upgrade your compiler to oneAPI HPC Toolkit or Parallel Studio 2018 or newer. When you upgrade, we recommend upgrading to oneAPI HPC Toolkit.

If you are currently using Parallel Studio 2018 or newer

SINDA/FLUINT v6.1: You are fine using your current compiler
SINDA/FLUINT v6.2: You are fine using your current compiler. However, the new oneAPI features will be utilized in the v6.3 release. To be able to benefit from new features, you will need to upgrade your compiler to oneAPI HPC Toolkit
SINDA/FLUINT v6.3: You must upgrade your compiler to oneAPI HPC Toolkit and a compatible version of Visual Studio, Parallel Studio will no longer be supported

Note: Updating compilers to newer versions often results in a modest speed increase. In general, the greater the difference between the new and older compilers, the greater the speed increase. While the exact increases are very model- and machine-dependent, we've seen speed increases on the order of 20%.

Renewing your Current Maintenance Contract (retaining Priority Support)

If your Parallel Studio support ends in 2021, you can renew it at the prior Parallel Studio rate as long as you renew before the expiration date.
Post-expiry renewals (after the support expiration date) can be purchased at the prior Parallel Studio post-expiry rate, however you will also have to purchase an upgrade to Intel® oneAPI Base & HPC Toolkit

Upgrading from Parallel Studio XE Composer to oneAPI Base + HPC Toolkit (retaining Priority Support)

If your license is under support you can upgrade for free through the Intel Registration Center anytime before your support expiration date at no cost. When you upgrade in this fashion, your support expiration date will remain the same (support period is not extended). When the support expires, you will renew oneAPI Base + APC Toolkit.
If your license is under support you can purchase an upgrade to oneAPI Base + HPC Toolkit (contact CRTech for pricing) anytime before your support expiration date. When you upgrade in this fashion, your support expiration date will be one year from the date of upgrade. When the support expires, you will renew oneAPI Base + APC Toolkit.
Note that Intel is dropping the single seat network (concurrent) product December 31, 2020. Maintenance for it will continue through 2021 and then be dropped. Priority support for the 2 seat and 5 seat concurrent products will continue.

Purchasing Options (New)

You can purchase Intel® oneAPI Base & HPC Toolkit with priority support. For pricing, please contact CRTech.
You can download just the oneAPI HPC Toolkit at no cost: no license is required. Technical support for this option is limited to Intel's community forum: no priority support.