from the city of Vienna: Notes on SPMD architecture II

Overview.

A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for

Grace Hopper

The subject of this post is to describe the structure and provide an overview of the Notes on SPMD architecture series.

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This series consists of two sections, the “Main body” and the Appendices, and each of them of the following posts:

Main body

1. Notes on SPMD architecture I. Introduction

This post presents the object of the series, provides a description of the SPMD architecture and also some considerations on Multiprocessor (MP) machines.

2. Notes on SPMD architecture II. Overview (this article)

This post describes the structure and provides an overview of the series.

3. Notes on SPMD architecture III. Requirements

This post states the high level (system Level) requirements for the SPMD architecture model (Architecture model) to support 1-D and 2-D processing, both in the cases of using Local memory and Distributed memory as well as in conditions of steady and non-steady nodes' workload over time.

This post is based on the 1-D and 2-D processing implementation described in Appendix “1-D and 2-D processing implementation”. The situations where Local memory processing is possible and where Distributed memory processing is necessary are addressed in Appendix “Local and distributed memory processing”. The working conditions of the nodes of steady and non-steady workload are defined in Appendix "Nodes' workload over time"

4. Notes on SPMD architecture IV. Data transferences

This post describes the different types of Data transferences required for the Architecture model.

5. Notes on SPMD architecture V. Nodes operation

This post describes the internal operation of the nodes in the Architecture model.

6. Notes on SPMD architecture VI. Local and Distributed memory processing in steady workload.

This post describes the operation of the Architecture model in the cases of Local and Distributed memory processing with the nodes working in a steady workload condition.

Cases where Local memory processing is possible and where Distributed memory processing is necessary are addressed in Appendix “Local and distributed memory processing”. The situation where the nodes’ workload can be considered steady is addressed in Appendix “Nodes’ workload over time”.

7. Notes on SPMD architecture VII. Operation in non-steady workload

This post describes the operation of the Architecture model when the nodes are working in a non-steady workload condition.

The situation where the nodes’ workload can be considered non-steady is addressed in Appendix “Nodes’ workload over time”.

8. Notes on SPMD architecture VIII. Conclusion

This post reviews and rewrites the initial requirements for the Architecture model stated in the post Requirements in the light of the description and characterization of the model carried out throughout the series.

Appendices

9. Notes on SPMD architecture A I. 1-D and 2-D processing implementation

This post provides background information in software implementation of 1-D and 2-D processing.

10. Notes on SPMD architecture A II. Local and distributed memory processing

This post introduces the necessity of distributed memory processing depending on the resources of the nodes.

11. Notes on SPMD architecture A III. Nodes’ workload over time

This post defines the situations of workload of the nodes, steady and non-steady over time.

In the writing of this article, Rory Gallagher (Tattoo'd Lady, Irish Tour '74) has collaborated in an involuntary but decisive way.