A microprocessor-based hypercube supercomputer

The architecture and applications of the class of highly parallel distributed-memory multiprocessors based on the hypercube interconnection structure are surveyed. The history of hypercube computers from their conceptual origins in the 1960s to the recent introduction of commercial machines is briefly reviewed. The properties of hypercube graphs relevant to their use in supercom-puters are examined, including connectivity, routing, and embed-ding. The hardware and software characteristics of current hyper-cubes are discussed, emphasizing the unique aspects of their operating systems and programming languages. A sample C pro-gram is presented to illustrate the single-code multiple-data pro-gramming style typical of distributed-memory machines in gen-eral, and hypercubes in particular. Two contrasting hypercube applications are presented and analyzed: image processing and branch-and-bound optimization. The paper concludes with a dis-cussion of current trends. I