HTML version of Scripted Foils prepared 18 Sept 1995

Foil 61 Two General Real World Architectural Issues

From Second set of lectures on CPS615 Parallel Computing Overview CPS615 Basic Simulation Track for Computational Science -- Fall Semester 95. by Geoffrey C. Fox *

1 Why is MPP always behind the best workstations?
  • It takes n extra years to build a new architecture
  • Therefore MPP uses sequential technologies which are n years behind
  • n=2 implies ~ factor of 3 in cost/performance
2 Must reduce delay n by matching parallel design as much as possible to
  • Commercial processor chips (use workstation not custom nodes)
  • Commercial communication -- (use ATM not custom networks?)
  • Commercial Software -- (Use Web not custom MPP software)
3 Memory per node (SIMD and MIMD)
  • Some say that current machines waste transistors - activity only occurs in 1% of transistors at a time?
  • Others say need large memory to run UNIX, increase grain size as problems complicated and further communication needs decrease as grain size increases

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