The GPA machine: a generally partitionable MSIMD architecture

Abstract

The GPA machine, a massively parallel, multiple single-instruction-stream-multiple-data-stream (MSIMD) system is described. Its distinguishing characteristics is the generality of its partitioning capabilities. Like the PASM system it can be dynamically reconfigured to operate as one or more independent SIMD machines. However, unlike PASM, the only constraint placed on partitioning is that an individual processing element is a member of at most one partition. This capability allows for reconfiguration based on the run-time status of dynamic data structures and for partitioning of disconnected and overlapping data structures. Significant speedups are expected from operating on data structures in place; copying of data to a newly configured partition is unnecessary. The GPA system consists of N processing-element/RAM pairs and an interconnection network providing access to and from P control processors or microcontrollers. With current technologies, values for N and P of 64K and 16, respectively, are feasible.<>