Analysis of computing-load assignment in a multi-processor computer

Abstract

Many of today's numerical problems are too time-consuming to be done on conventional computers. In some cases it is possible to reduce the overall computation time significantly by assigning part of the computation to one or more computers which work in parallel. If there is any uncertainty or random variation in the time required by either of the processors for completing its share of the computation, one cannot always divide the work between the computers in such a way that they will always finish at approximately the same time. Thus, it is possible for a considerable degradation in performance to occur.