Heterogeneous parallel and distributed computing

✍ Scribed by V.S. Sunderam; G.A. Geist

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 214 KB
• Volume: 25
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-8191
• DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8191(99)00088-5

✦ Synopsis

Heterogeneous network-based distributed and parallel computing is gaining increasing acceptance as an alternative or complementary paradigm to multiprocessor-based parallel processing as well as to conventional supercomputing. While algorithmic and programming aspects of heterogeneous concurrent computing are similar to their parallel processing counterparts, system issues, partitioning and scheduling, and performance aspects are sig-ni®cantly dierent. In this paper, we discuss the evolution of heterogeneous concurrent computing, in the context of the parallel virtual machine (PVM) system, a widely adopted software system for network computing. In particular, we highlight the system level infrastructures that are required, aspects of parallel algorithm development that most aect performance, system capabilities and limitations, and tools and methodologies for eective computing in heterogeneous networked environments. We also present recent developments and experiences in the PVM project, and comment on ongoing and future work.