Network-based multicomputers : redefining high performance computing in the 1990s

Abstract: "One of the most significant advances in computer systems over the past decade is parallel processing. This is a direct consequence of close interactions between system design and VLSI technology. This integrated approach has allowed insights in computations, systems and applications to have fundamental influences on the design of hardware structures, and vice versa. The cooperation will be even more crucial as we enter the next decade when parallel computers are expected to be not only powerful in performance but also easy to use. A key point here is to use the power of VLSI to implement general and very high performance networks for large-scale multicomputers. In this paper we briefly review current work at Carnegie Mellon in this area, and give a taxonomy to show the general architectural trends. It is concluded that multicomputers based on flexible, extensible and efficient network backplanes will be a major thrust in high performance computing in the 1990s.