TY - GEN
T1 - Models of parallel computation
T2 - 28th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 1995
AU - Maggs, B. M.
AU - Matheson, L. R.
AU - Tarjan, R. E.
N1 - Funding Information:
*Research partially supported by NSF National Young In- vestigator Award and ARPA Grant Nos. F33615-93-1-1330, N00014-91-J-1698, N00014-92-5-1799 tprinceton research partially supported by NSF grant no. CCR-8920505 and Office of Naval Research Contract No. N0014-91-5-1463
Publisher Copyright:
© 1995 IEEE.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - In the realm of sequential computing, the random access machine has successfully provided an underlying model of computation that has promoted consistency and coordination among algorithm developers, computer architects and language experts. In the realm of parallel computing, however, there has been no similar success. The need for such a unifying parallel model or set of models is heightened by the greater demand for performance and the greater diversity among machines. Yet the modeling of parallel computing still seems to be mired in controversy and chaos. This paper presents a broad range of models of parallel computation and the different roles they serve in algorithm, language and machine design. The objective is to better understand which model characteristics are important to each design community, in order to elucidate the requirements of a unifying paradigm. As an impetus for discussion, we conclude by suggesting a model of parallel computation which is consistent with a model design philosophy that balances simplicity and descriptivity with prescriptivity. Space constraints allow only the presentation of the survey of abstract computational models. It is our hope that the introduction provides insights into the rich array of relevant issues in other disciplines, inspiring the interested reader to examine the full paper.
AB - In the realm of sequential computing, the random access machine has successfully provided an underlying model of computation that has promoted consistency and coordination among algorithm developers, computer architects and language experts. In the realm of parallel computing, however, there has been no similar success. The need for such a unifying parallel model or set of models is heightened by the greater demand for performance and the greater diversity among machines. Yet the modeling of parallel computing still seems to be mired in controversy and chaos. This paper presents a broad range of models of parallel computation and the different roles they serve in algorithm, language and machine design. The objective is to better understand which model characteristics are important to each design community, in order to elucidate the requirements of a unifying paradigm. As an impetus for discussion, we conclude by suggesting a model of parallel computation which is consistent with a model design philosophy that balances simplicity and descriptivity with prescriptivity. Space constraints allow only the presentation of the survey of abstract computational models. It is our hope that the introduction provides insights into the rich array of relevant issues in other disciplines, inspiring the interested reader to examine the full paper.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85006775816&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1109/HICSS.1995.375476
DO - 10.1109/HICSS.1995.375476
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85006775816
T3 - Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
SP - 61
EP - 70
BT - Proceedings of the 28th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 1995
PB - IEEE Computer Society
Y2 - 3 January 1995 through 6 January 1995
ER -