Solved: Nwchem 6.3 running 2-5 times slower than 6.1.1


Click here for full thread
Gets Around
Edo,
I get four geometry steps for both 6.1.1 and 6.3.

The 'benchmark' is the benzene dft optimization in my first post in this thread. It's not much of a benchmark, but I have used it extensively in the past to do quick tests. I'll be happy to run a longer, better one -- with SOCKETS at the moment it's a difference of mere seconds.

Example (AMD FX 8150, 8 cores, 32 gb, ACML 5.3.1 (int, fma4, gfortran)) using 6.1.1
@ Step       Energy      Delta E   Gmax     Grms     Xrms     Xmax   Walltime
@ ---- ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
@    0    -230.08801905  0.0D+00  0.07175  0.01289  0.00000  0.00000     12.5
@    1    -230.10026114 -1.2D-02  0.01388  0.00296  0.03473  0.13124     21.3
@    2    -230.10088594 -6.2D-04  0.00276  0.00056  0.01271  0.03164     32.8
@    3    -230.10091297 -2.7D-05  0.00009  0.00002  0.00139  0.00502     40.0
@    4    -230.10091305 -7.9D-08  0.00002  0.00000  0.00010  0.00029     44.6
@    4    -230.10091305 -7.9D-08  0.00002  0.00000  0.00010  0.00029     44.6


Example using 6.3 without specifying SOCKETS
@ Step       Energy      Delta E   Gmax     Grms     Xrms     Xmax   Walltime
@ ---- ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
@    0    -230.08801906  0.0D+00  0.07175  0.01289  0.00000  0.00000     38.2
@    1    -230.10023344 -1.2D-02  0.01700  0.00285  0.03171  0.12027     89.2
@    2    -230.10089367 -6.6D-04  0.00258  0.00048  0.01180  0.03599    117.1
@    3    -230.10091297 -1.9D-05  0.00015  0.00003  0.00162  0.00529    164.1
@    4    -230.10091306 -9.2D-08  0.00001  0.00000  0.00014  0.00035    191.5
@    4    -230.10091306 -9.2D-08  0.00001  0.00000  0.00014  0.00035    191.5


Example using 6.3 while specifying SOCKETS:
@ Step       Energy      Delta E   Gmax     Grms     Xrms     Xmax   Walltime
@ ---- ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
@    0    -230.08801906  0.0D+00  0.07175  0.01289  0.00000  0.00000     12.5
@    1    -230.10028794 -1.2D-02  0.01611  0.00278  0.03101  0.12160     27.3
@    2    -230.10089384 -6.1D-04  0.00270  0.00048  0.01079  0.03564     35.6
@    3    -230.10091290 -1.9D-05  0.00026  0.00005  0.00124  0.00482     49.6
@    4    -230.10091306 -1.7D-07  0.00000  0.00000  0.00019  0.00048     58.0
@    4    -230.10091306 -1.7D-07  0.00000  0.00000  0.00019  0.00048     58.0



Edit: the above was obviously the number of DFT optimisation steps, not the SCF iterations that you asked for. There's a difference here:

6.1.1 does 9, 7, 6, 4, 5 and 2 SCF iterations.
6.3 does 10, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7 and 7 SCF iterations.

(note: I've repeated the calcs so often that the output below might not be from the exact same run as the output above)

6.1.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1846873327 -4.34D+02  1.53D-02  2.12D+00     2.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.0401177850  1.45D-01  1.44D-02  2.62D-01     2.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -229.9189400075  1.21D-01  6.88D-03  1.11D+00     3.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.0859601490 -1.67D-01  2.03D-03  1.51D-02     4.5
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.0874343200 -1.47D-03  6.04D-04  4.09D-03     5.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.0879684761 -5.34D-04  1.70D-04  3.63D-04     6.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.0880070289 -3.86D-05  8.09D-05  8.00D-05     7.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     8   -230.0880181862 -1.12D-05  1.98D-05  6.07D-06     7.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     9   -230.0880190533 -8.67D-07  4.12D-06  1.45D-07     8.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.0940137547 -4.32D+02  3.37D-03  2.61D-02    12.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.0985355007 -4.52D-03  1.32D-03  1.33D-02    13.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.0983868780  1.49D-04  8.98D-04  1.27D-02    14.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1001155261 -1.73D-03  2.72D-04  9.31D-04    14.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1002464623 -1.31D-04  7.14D-05  1.15D-04    15.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1002609443 -1.45D-05  1.96D-05  1.74D-06    16.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1002611376 -1.93D-07  6.88D-06  3.08D-07    17.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1006971476 -4.33D+02  6.87D-04  9.65D-04    21.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1007907138 -9.36D-05  3.24D-04  6.71D-04    21.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1008012839 -1.06D-05  1.84D-04  5.24D-04    22.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1008761633 -7.49D-05  6.07D-05  3.72D-05    23.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1008816761 -5.51D-06  1.01D-05  1.13D-06    24.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1008818053 -1.29D-07  3.79D-06  1.74D-07    25.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1008836620 -4.33D+02  7.86D-05  1.23D-05    26.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1008848385 -1.18D-06  3.70D-05  8.57D-06    26.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1008849763 -1.38D-07  2.07D-05  6.71D-06    27.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1008859360 -9.60D-07  6.90D-06  4.69D-07    28.5
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1009013337 -4.33D+02  1.36D-04  4.95D-05    32.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1009089686 -7.63D-06  6.20D-05  3.09D-05    33.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1009089399  2.87D-08  4.18D-05  2.70D-05    33.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1009127547 -3.81D-06  1.09D-05  1.57D-06    34.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1009129705 -2.16D-07  2.91D-06  2.17D-07    35.5
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1009130375 -4.33D+02  2.05D-05  1.19D-07    39.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1009130490 -1.15D-08  3.57D-06  9.41D-08    40.0



6.3 (sockets):
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1846873327 -4.34D+02  1.53D-02  2.12D+00     1.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.0401171170  1.45D-01  1.44D-02  2.62D-01     2.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -229.9189392569  1.21D-01  6.88D-03  1.11D+00     3.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.0859593631 -1.67D-01  2.02D-03  1.51D-02     4.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.0874336088 -1.47D-03  6.05D-04  4.09D-03     4.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.0879684673 -5.35D-04  2.03D-04  3.63D-04     5.5
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.0880070291 -3.86D-05  2.52D-04  7.99D-05     6.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     8   -230.0879494068  5.76D-05  1.54D-04  4.63D-04     7.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     9   -230.0880181652 -6.88D-05  2.67D-05  6.27D-06     7.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis    10   -230.0880190566 -8.91D-07  3.58D-06  1.37D-07     8.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.0936723836 -4.33D+02  3.20D-03  2.75D-02    12.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.0984010434 -4.73D-03  1.37D-03  1.42D-02    13.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.0982162514  1.85D-04  9.29D-04  1.38D-02    13.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1001000219 -1.88D-03  2.75D-04  9.56D-04    14.5
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1002342285 -1.34D-04  7.22D-05  1.19D-04    15.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1002491001 -1.49D-05  1.96D-05  1.73D-06    16.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1002492881 -1.88D-07  1.65D-05  3.35D-07    16.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     8   -230.1002492104  7.77D-08  9.64D-06  8.94D-07    17.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1002121452 -4.33D+02  3.33D-04  3.14D-04    18.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1002675856 -5.54D-05  1.43D-04  1.58D-04    19.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1002652577  2.33D-06  9.86D-05  1.54D-04    20.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1002862056 -2.09D-05  2.94D-05  1.11D-05    20.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1002877573 -1.55D-06  7.69D-06  1.40D-06    21.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1002879343 -1.77D-07  1.99D-06  1.61D-08    22.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1002879361 -1.75D-09  1.65D-06  3.26D-09    23.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1006320799 -4.33D+02  8.28D-04  1.29D-03    26.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1007729436 -1.41D-04  3.60D-04  9.01D-04    27.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1007791735 -6.23D-06  2.17D-04  7.47D-04    28.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1008878211 -1.09D-04  6.13D-05  3.94D-05    29.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1008935156 -5.69D-06  1.22D-05  2.51D-06    29.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1008938217 -3.06D-07  4.72D-06  1.55D-07    30.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1008938410 -1.93D-08  2.33D-06  8.52D-09    31.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1009059134 -4.33D+02  1.01D-04  2.75D-05    35.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1009108873 -4.97D-06  4.12D-05  1.31D-05    35.8
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1009106237  2.64D-07  2.90D-05  1.33D-05    36.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1009124240 -1.80D-06  8.44D-06  9.03D-07    37.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1009125483 -1.24D-07  2.28D-06  1.29D-07    38.1
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1009125647 -1.64D-08  4.62D-07  8.26D-10    38.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1009125648 -8.00D-11  3.84D-07  2.41D-10    39.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1009127343 -4.33D+02  1.57D-05  6.68D-07    40.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1009128522 -1.18D-07  6.43D-06  3.39D-07    41.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1009128494  2.77D-09  4.48D-06  3.14D-07    42.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1009128916 -4.22D-08  1.34D-06  2.33D-08    43.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1009128948 -3.20D-09  3.60D-07  3.29D-09    43.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1009128952 -4.10D-10  6.91D-08  9.27D-11    44.5
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1009128952  5.68D-14  5.56D-08  7.97D-11    45.3
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     1   -230.1009130006 -4.33D+02  1.15D-05  3.22D-07    48.9
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     2   -230.1009130278 -2.72D-08  6.00D-06  2.58D-07    49.6
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     3   -230.1009130351 -7.32D-09  3.42D-06  1.79D-07    50.4
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     4   -230.1009130611 -2.60D-08  1.07D-06  1.14D-08    51.2
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     5   -230.1009130628 -1.67D-09  1.96D-07  5.17D-10    52.0
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     6   -230.1009130628 -5.19D-11  6.89D-08  1.26D-10    52.7
 d= 0,ls=0.0,diis     7   -230.1009130628 -6.65D-12  3.19D-08  7.77D-11    53.5