An accurate and computationally efficient method for predicting the performance of a class of parallel computations running on concurrent systems is described. A parallel computation is modeled as a task system with precedence relationships expressed as a series-parallel directed acyclic graph. Resources in a concurrent system are modeled as service centers in a queuing network model. Using these two models as inputs, the method outputs predictions of expected execution time of the parallel computation and the concurrent system utilization. The method is validated against both detailed simulation and actual execution on a commercial multiprocessor. Using 100 test cases, the average error of the prediction when compared to simulation statistics is 1.7%, with a standard deviation of 1.5%; the maximum error is about 10%.>

A five-year series of studies, which ended in 1982 and which was supported in part by NASA and in part by Burroughs Corporation, led to the system design of a very large, very high-speed multiprocessor. This system was intended to solve large scientific problems, especially modeling problems such as those in computational aerodynamics. The performance objective was to sustain execution rates up to one billion floating-point operations per second with problems requiring 40 million words of main memory. The viability of this design depended on an in-depth understanding of the projected applications of the system. An overview of the project objectives and the resulting 128 processor design will be presented showing the local private memories available to each processor, the 64 million word shared memory, the dual-omega interconnection network, and the important programming concepts. During the design of the system, studies were conducted which determined the number of processors (a tradeoff with individual processor speed), the memory organization (program and data, private and shared), and the structure of the networks used to interconnect the processor and memory resources. These studies and the important application-related considerations are presented. Although this system was never constructed and tested, it was extensively simulated and the design was completed to sufficient detail to develop a reasonably accurate parts list and implementation plan.

article Free Access Share on A decentralized control, highly concurrent multiprocesssor Author: Stephen F. Lundstrom Electrical Engineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA Electrical Engineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CAView Profile Authors Info & Claims ACM SIGARCH Computer Architecture NewsVolume 13Issue 3June 1985 pp 145–151https://doi.org/10.1145/327070.327149Published:01 June 1985Publication History 4citation230DownloadsMetricsTotal Citations4Total Downloads230Last 12 Months6Last 6 weeks1 Get Citation AlertsNew Citation Alert added!This alert has been successfully added and will be sent to:You will be notified whenever a record that you have chosen has been cited.To manage your alert preferences, click on the button below.Manage my Alerts New Citation Alert!Please log in to your account Save to BinderSave to BinderCreate a New BinderNameCancelCreateExport CitationPublisher SiteeReaderPDF