Traffic-specific interconnection networks for multicomputers

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · IEEE Trans. Comput.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TC.1987.1676859· OSTI ID:5866999

Nichols, K M; Messerschmitt, D G

Special-purpose networks of processors and intelligent switching devices can be programmed to solve problems with inherent parallelism. The target algorithm is coded into a number of asynchronously executing parallel tasks, and assigned to specific processors. For well-known algorithms, information about the data communicated between these tasks (traffic) can be characterized and used by a heuristic algorithm to produce a specialized interconnection network of switching devices at a lower cost and increased performance over the use of a general purpose structure. A program was developed which uses intertask communications to automatically generate interconnection structures of switch clips (SC's). Simulation results were used to compare cost/performance measures for the program-generated networks with some well-known structures, using both statistically generated traffic patterns and the simulation of real applications. The results show it is possible to create interconnection networks algorithmically that perform as well as networks that are hand-tuned. The algorithm is intended for use in creating networks for large problems with irregular interprocessor communication, but it produces the obvious structure of a multistage interconnection network when the network has uniform traffic.

• Research Organization: AT and T Bell Labs., Holmdel, NJ 07733
• OSTI ID: 5866999
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Comput.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Comput.; (United States) Vol. C-36:10; ISSN ITCOB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990210* -- Supercomputers-- (1987-1989)
ALGORITHMS
ARRAY PROCESSORS
COMMUNICATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COST
DATA TRANSMISSION
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
MATHEMATICS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
NETWORK ANALYSIS
PARALLEL PROCESSING
PERFORMANCE
PROGRAMMING
SIMULATION
STATISTICS
SWITCHING CIRCUITS