Network Related Performance Issues and Techniques for MPPs

Abstract

In this paper we review network related performance issues for current Massively Parallel Processors (MPPs) in the context of some important basic operations in scientific and engineering computation. The communication system is one of the most performance critical architectural components of MPPs. In particular, understanding the demand posed by collective communication is critical in architectural design and system software implementation. We discuss collective communication and some implementation techniques therefore on electronic networks. Finally, we give an example of a novel general routing technique that exhibits good scalability, efficiency and simplicity in electronic networks.