Specifications

22 Performance-Centric Compiler Switches Chapter 3
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Compiler Usage Guidelines for AMD64 Platforms
innovations are automatically incorporated into applications through the use of ACML. The AMD
Core Math Library (ACML) revision 4.0, built with PGI Edition 7, includes BLAS, LAPACK, FFT
and RNG routines that are optimized for AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Opteron™ processors. If the
program uses these routines, using ACML in place of generic C/Fortran implementation may greatly
improve the performance. For additional details on how to install this library and use it, please refer to
the ACML User Guide available at http://developer.amd.com/assets/acml_userguide.pdf.
3.2 GCC Compilers (64-Bit) for Linux
®
The 64-bit GCC compilers can be installed and run on 64-bit Linux
®
, AMD Athlon™ 64,
AMD Opteron™ and AMD Family 10h processors. GCC compilers vary slightly, depending on the
Linux distribution. This section discusses the following GCC compilers.
• gcc 4.2.0 from Free Software Foundation (FSF)
• gcc 4.2.0 from SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
• gcc 4.2.0 supplied with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
3.2.1 Recommended Compiler Versions
The Linux distributions from SuSE and Red Hat include a default 64-bit GCC compiler and optional
GCC compilers. From a performance standpoint, the optional compilers are recommended. Table 2,
below, shows the recommended (optional) compiler versions for the current SuSE and Red Hat
distributions. These optional compilers are included on product CDs and DVDs.
Table 2, “GCC Versions Included with Linux
®
Distributions,” identifies the recommended optional
compilers by their package names. The Red Hat distribution media include the Red Hat Package
Managers. The gcc-ssa package is installed in /usr/bin by default, while gcc-33 is installed in
/opt/gcc33/.
Table 2. GCC Versions Included with Linux
®
Distributions
Linux® Distribution
Default GCC
Compiler
Version
Recommended (Optional) Compiler Version
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 4.1.0 gcc-ssa
SuSE Linux Enterprise
Server 10
4.1.0
4.2.0
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 3.4.1 No optional compiler available with the distribution. The
default compiler is the recommended compiler.
SuSE Linux 10.1 4.1.0
4.2.0
SuSE Linux Enterprise
Server 10
3.3.3
4.2.0