An MIMD parallel computer system

✍ Scribed by G.R. Joubert; A.J. Maeder

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 427 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0010-4655
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-4655(82)90114-x

✦ Synopsis

The need to run large, compute-bound programs encountered in research, coupled with the high availability of mini-and microcomputers in the laboratory environment, has prompted the linking of independent processors to form multicomputer systems. Important characteristics of the system presented here are the lack of shared memory between processors and the use of purely standard hardware to effect the linking. The resulting MIMD machine is suitable for executing asynchronous and weakly synchronous parallel programs. This is facilitated by assembly language software support to handle communication and to organise the independent sections of executable code for the individual processors. The design principles involved in this hardware configuration and the attendant software are introduced. A brief description of program execution behaviour is given. Applications and examples of programming problems which have been implemented on the system are discussed. An empirical method for assessing the timewise gain which ensues from use of the system is presented and experimental results obtained are outlined.