Talk title: Computer Communication: The Glamour of Plumbing

The University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics has a rich programme of events lined up to continue the celebration of 60 Years of Computer Science & AI at Edinburgh. This includes a series of Distinguished Lectures scheduled throughout the year.

Gordon Brebner, Senior Fellow at AMD, will give one of these Distinguished Lectures which will be followed by a drinks reception. To attend this lecture your Eventbrite registration is required.

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https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/89749992704

Meeting ID: 897 4999 2704

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Abstract

The systems that underpin everyday computing and Internet access, and leading-edge Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing, rely upon largely unseen plumbing that connects everything together via communication channels. As processor clock rates have stagnated, the speed of these channels continues to increase apace, reflecting the increasing volume, velocity and variety of information sharing over diverse parallel and distributed architectures. This means that communication has become as important as computation, and indeed it has resulted in a blurring of the lines between the two activities. This talk will discuss the current frontiers of networking and will particularly focus on treating communication as a first-class citizen, that is, as a programmable artefact with its own domain-specific architectures and languages. It will reflect on over four decades of experience rooted in, and intertwined with, the history of Informatics at Edinburgh: from the earliest in-house packet switching networks, through programmable networking, to the theory of concurrency.

Bio

Gordon Brebner is a Senior Fellow at AMD. He contributes to corporate vision and strategy in the general area of networking and distributed systems. As a research leader in AMD Research and Advanced Development, he has been investigating novel forms of programmability in high-performance, low-latency, and trustworthy communication networks, and translating results into successful products with an emphasis on ease of use through a particular focus on domain-specific languages and architectures. Most recently, this led to the Xilinx (acquired by AMD in 2022) family of P4-programmable SmartNIC products. Gordon worked at the University of Edinburgh until moving to Silicon Valley in 2002, with roles including Head of the Department of Computer Science and Director of the Institute for Computing Systems Architecture. He has a continuing connection with the School of Informatics as an Honorary Professor.

More on 60 Years of Computer Science and AI

For a current view of the 60 years celebration events programme, please visit https://www.ed.ac.uk/informatics/60-years-of-computer-science-and-ai/60-years-of-computer-science-and-ai-events/60-years-of-computer-science-and-ai-calendar.

*This lecture will be streamed but not recorded.

Distinguished Lecture: Gordon Brebner