PQE HPF-a library for exploiting the capabilities of a PQE-1 heterogeneous parallel architecture

Abstract

Heterogeneous computing is a special form of parallel and distributed computing where computations are performed using a single autonomous computer operating in both SIMD and MIMD modes, or using a number of connected autonomous computers. In multimode system heterogeneous computing, tasks can be executed in both SIMD and MIMD simultaneously. In this paper, we present PQE HPF, a High Performance Fortran (HPF) based programming library which allows one to exploit the MIMD and SIMD capabilities offered by PQE-1, a multimode parallel architecture. Two different implementations of a well-known application, using HPF and PQE HPF respectively, were used to evaluate the overheads introduced over the machine's runtime system. Preliminary tests, conducted by running the case study application on the first PQE-1 prototype, show good results and encourage us to dedicate more effort to implement real production parallel codes on a similar architecture.