Newsgroups: comp.parallel.mpi From: Ralf Mohr Subject: Re: what does mpi and pvm mean? FAQ? Organization: Fachhochschule Mannheim, FRG Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 11:42:52 +0200 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-ID: <35CEC09C.A9A40832@fh-mannheim.de> jian xu wrote: > > hi, > > Concerning parallel computing, there are two group comp.paralel.mpi and > comp.paralel.pvm. What does mpi and pvm mean? > > Is there a FAQ for these two groups? > mpi and pvm are (roughly) libraries to include in your C/FORTRAN code to easily parallelize things. While MPI is just a standard on which sulutions like "lam61" are based, the mentionend pvm (parallel virtuel machine) already is a set of these libs like lam61. To make it correct and disencuraging: Including the libs will not automatically parallelize you program, they will yust help you to transparently spread routines over your IP-Network and keep track of such vital things as file locking. The optimum parallel code then is often restricted to one single cluster with all its special features. For details please see http://www.mpi.nd.edu/lam/ http://www.beowulf.org/ http://www.top500.org/ -- Ralf Mohr; Tel.:+49-621-292-6480; FAX:+49-621-292-6481 FH-Mannheim; Inst.f.CAE; Windeckstr.110; 68163 Mannheim ralf.mohr@fh-mannheim.de