Design and implementation of a scalable low-cost shared-memory multiprocessor system using IBM compatible PCs

The design and implementation of a low-cost shared-memory multiprocessor system using a number of 386 PCs connected through a common bus is presented. Throughout the design, emphasis is placed on using standard PC components, particularly for the microprocessors and the shared memory, which results in significantly lower prices, at the cost of using components not designed for this specific application. The cost of the entire add-on components to the system is only AUD $300 and this is further facilitated by the use of features already available in standard PC operating systems and programming environments. The system offers encouraging results for benchmark problems on block transfers and floating point matrix multiplication. An effort has also been made to include sufficient flexibility in the design to allow for future modifications and upgrades