Are parallel workstations the right target for parallelizing compilers

Abstract. The growing popularity of multiprocessor workstations among general users calls for a more easy-to-understand approach to parallel programming. Providing standard, sequential languages with automatic translation tools would enable a seamless transition from uniprocessors to multiprocessor workstations. In this paper we study the success and limitations of such an approach. To this end, we have retargeted the Polaris parallelizing compiler at a 4-processor Sun SPARCstation 20 and measured the performance of parallel programs. Here, we present the results from six of the Perfect Benchmark programs along with our analysis of the performance and some of the issues brought up during the experiments. Our research will help answer some of the questions that have been posed by both users and manufacturers concerning the practicality and desirable characteristics of parallel programming in a workstation environment.