Hardware Multicast Routing Techniques for Scalable Parallel Computers

组播通信是并行计算机的一个基本特征。 它有益于多个并行应用程序，并对共享内存、分布式内存和分布式共享内存系统很有用。 多播还有助于支持一类称为集体操作的通信模式。 多播可以通过硬件或软件方法来支持。 然而，硬件方法明显快于软件方法。 大多数并行计算机的供应商要么不知道它，要么在实现无死锁的硬件多播方案方面做了不成功的尝试。 这个项目关注的是网格和基于交换机的并行计算机的高效硬件组播路由技术。 几个实现细节，如启动延迟，路由器延迟，和多个组播，将在这个项目中解决。 研究的主要目标将包括通过减少网格中多播所需的启动步骤的数量来最小化总通信延迟。 对于以交换为基础的系统，本计画将检视其他交换机的设计，以支援有效的无死锁多播。 最后，将努力设计低成本的路由器，支持组播操作。 在本研究中将观察到两个主要限制因素。 首先，算法的成本和复杂性将被最小化。 第二，PI将专注于技术，不仅支持无死锁组播操作，但也提高了节点到节点的单播通信的性能。

MLulticast communication is an essential feature in parallel computers. It benefits several parallel applications and is useful for shared memory, distributed memory, and distributed-shared memory systems. Multicasting also helps in supporting a class of communication patterns known as collective operations. Multicasting can be supported by either hardware or software approaches. However, the hardware approach is significantly faster than the software approach. Most vendors of parallel computers are either unaware of it or have made unsuccessful attempts at implementing deadlock-free hardware multicasting schemes. This project is concerned with efficient hardware multicast routing techniques for meshes and switch-based parallel computers. Several implementation details, such as start-up latency, router delays, and multiple multicasts, will be addressed in this project. The primary objectives of the research will include the minimization of the total communication latency by reducing the number of start-up steps required for multicasting in meshes. For switched-based systems, this project will examine alternative switch designs to support efficient deadlock-free multicasting. Finally, an effort will be made to design low-cost routers that support multicast operation. Two primary constraints will be observed during this research. First, the cost and complexity of the algorithms will be minimized. Second, the PI will focus on techniques that not only support deadlock-free multicast operations but also enhance the performance of node-to-node unicast communications.