On the Portability and Efficiency of Parallel Algorithms and Software

Parallel software development must face the fact that different architectures require different implementations. Flexibility in modifying parallel methods and software is necessary because the efficiency of algorithms is dependent on the characteristics of the target computer. Furthermore different parallel computers require different implementations of data in data-structures. The required flexibility is obtained by identifying abstraction levels and development steps in parallel algorithm and software development. The approach that is proposed ensures that all choices in the design are properly recognised and documented. As a result it is simple to compare the characteristics of a new parallel computer with the characteristics that are used in the software. In this way the development itself becomes more portable and thus less architecture dependent. 1 Introduction A main task of parallel software development is to obtain highly efficient and portable software for parallel computers..