Internet Parallel Computing Archive

Parallel : Hardware : Custom : Papers

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PAPERS: Purdue's Adapter for Parallel Execution and Rapid Synchronization. This is custom hardware that allows a cluster of unmodified PCs and/or workstations to function as a fine-grain parallel computer capable of MIMD, SIMD, and VLIW execution.

The total time taken to perform a typical barrier synchronization and/or aggregate communication operation using PAPERS is about 3 microseconds, including all hardware and software overhead. This is several orders of magnitude faster than using conventional networks, and is even faster than most commercial parallel supercomputers.

Despite this performance, a four-processor PAPERS unit can cost as little as $30 to build, and the complete hardware design and support software is fully PUBLIC DOMAIN.

See <URL:http://garage.ecn.purdue.edu/~papers/Index.html> for software and documentation.



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