A global synchronization algorithm for the Intel iPSC/860

Abstract

Precisely synchronizing the processors of a distributed memory multicomputer provides them with a common baseline from which time can be measured. This amounts to providing the processors with a global clock. This work investigates a global processor synchronization algorithm for the Intel iPSC/860. Previous work has shown that for certain communication problems, such as the one-to-all broadcast and the complete exchange, the most effective use of the iPSC/860 interconnection network is obtained only when communicating pairs of processors are suitably synchronized. For other communication problems, such as the shift operation, global processor synchronization ensures the most effective use of the communication network. This work presents an algorithm that synchronizes processors more closely than the synchronization primitive by Intel. This new synchronization algorithm is used as the basis of an efficient implementation of the shift operation.<>