An Undergraduate Parallel/Distributed Computing Laboratory

通过这个项目，电气工程系（EE）继续更新和扩大其本科并行/分布式计算实验室。 该项目支持现有的课程设置，并通过将其用作其他非平行重点课程（如数据库和人工智能）的基础来扩大该技术的使用。 通过局域网连接的现代计算机可以提供具有足够可靠性的并行虚拟机，并行/分布式技术可以成为普通的日常工具，而不仅仅是特殊兴趣课程的焦点。 经过6年的大量使用，旧的晶片机板已经过时，几乎不可能使用，这个项目旨在保留EE课程中的并行/消息传递范式。 许多算法都有可以同时执行的部分，如果存在这样做的设施的话。 除了昂贵的专用机器，计算机传统上是SISD（单指令单数据）处理器，执行指令而不可能同时执行。 在一个并行机器或设施，如这种新的异构PVM（并行虚拟机），学生能够在单独的向量或数据分区执行并行同时指令。 现代EE课程应该包括并行/分布式技术在计算速度前沿问题的应用，如图像或语音分析，神经网络，建模和图形。 机器也必须是研究的对象，并可供学生实验。 一个可重构的异构PVM借给实验室最大的灵活性，在适度的成本，并使用现有的设施。 翻修后的实验室可立即使用，因为这方面的专门知识、场地、现有计算机和现有局域网设施都已准备就绪。 *

Through this project, the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) continues to update and expand its Undergraduate Parallel/Distributed Computing Laboratory. The project supports existing curriculum offerings and widens the use of the technology by using it as a base in other, non-parallel-focused courses, such as Databases, and Artificial Intelligence. Modern computers connected by a LAN can provide a parallel virtual machine with sufficient reliability that the parallel/distributed techniques can become an ordinary, everyday tool rather than just the focus of special interest courses. Old transputer boards have become obsolete and almost impossible to use after 6 years of heavy utilization, and this project is designed to retain the parallel/message-passing paradigm in the EE's curriculum. Many algorithms have portions that could be executed at the same time if facilities to do this exist. Except for expensive special purpose machines, computers have traditionally been SISD (Single Instruction Single Data) processors, executing instructions without the possibility of simultaneous execution. On a parallel machine or facility, such as this new heterogeneous PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine), students are able to execute parallel simultaneous instructions over separate vectors or partitions of data. A modern EE curriculum should include the application of parallel/distributed techniques to problems at the frontiers of computing speed such as image or speech analysis, neural nets, modeling, and graphics. The machines must also be the object of study and be available for student experimentation. A reconfigurable heterogeneous PVM lends maximum flexibility to the laboratory, at modest cost, and uses existing facilities. The refurbished laboratory is immediately available owing to prior expertise in this area, the readiness of space, current computers, and extant LAN facilities. *