A shared memory multi-microprocessor system with hardware supported message passing mechanisms.

by Lam Chin Hung.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1990.Bibliography: leaves 167-174.ABSTRACT --- p.1ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.2TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.3Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Gaining performance with multiprocessing --- p.1Chapter 1.1.1 --- Software approach --- p.2Chapter 1.1.2 --- hardware approach --- p.2Chapter 1.2 --- Parallel processing --- p.4Chapter 1.3 --- Gaining performance with multiprocessing --- p.7Chapter 1.3.1 --- Multiprocessor configurations --- p.7Chapter 1.3.2 --- Multiprocessor design issues --- p.9Chapter 1.3.3 --- Using microprocessors --- p.11Chapter 1.3.4 --- Bus based systems --- p.12Chapter 1.4 --- Shared memory and message passing --- p.13Chapter 1.4.1 --- Shared memory --- p.13Chapter 1.4.2 --- Message passing --- p.14Chapter 1.4.3 --- Comparisons of the two paradigms --- p.16Chapter 1.5 --- Summary and comment --- p.19Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- AN OVERVIEW OF COMMON APPROACHES --- p.20Chapter 2.1 --- SUPRENUM --- p.20Chapter 2.2 --- MEMSY --- p.22Chapter 2.3 --- ELXSI --- p.24Chapter 2.4 --- Sequent --- p.25Chapter 2.5 --- YACKOS --- p.26Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.30Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- THE MPC APPROACH --- p.32Chapter 3.1 --- A shared memory multiprocessor architecture --- p.32Chapter 3.2 --- Message passer for inter-process communication --- p.32Chapter 3.2.1 --- A review of the message passer approach --- p.33Chapter 3.2.2 --- Pit-falls of the message passer approach --- p.34Chapter 3.3 --- The role of the MPC --- p.35Chapter 3.3.1 --- The quest for the MPC --- p.35Chapter 3.3.2 --- Duties of the MPC --- p.37Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Software aspects --- p.37Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Hardware aspects --- p.40Chapter 3.4 --- Advantages and disadvantages --- p.41Chapter 3.4.1 --- Advantages --- p.41Chapter 3.4.2 --- Disadvantages --- p.43Chapter 3.4.3 --- Other discussions --- p.44Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.44Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- THE DESIGN OF SM3 --- p.46Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction to SM3 --- p.45Chapter 4.2 --- Software aspects --- p.47Chapter 4.2.1 --- Programming model --- p.48Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- Logical entities --- p.48Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- Communication procedure --- p.48Chapter 4.2.2 --- Message structure --- p.51Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Broadcast versus point-to-point messages --- p.52Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Message priority --- p.52Chapter 4.2.2.3 --- Blocking versus non-blocking --- p.53Chapter 4.3 --- Hardware aspects --- p.55Chapter 4.3.1 --- Overall architecture --- p.55Chapter 4.3.2 --- The host machineChapter 4.3.3 --- Slave processor nodes --- p.57Chapter 4.3.4 --- The MPC --- p.59Chapter 4.4 --- Communication protocols --- p.60Chapter 4.4.1 --- Short and long messages --- p.60Chapter 4.4.2 --- Point-to-point messages --- p.61Chapter 4.4.3 --- 1-to-N DMA for broadcast messages --- p.63Chapter 4.4.3.1 --- Introducing 1-to-N DMA --- p.63Chapter 4.4.3.2 --- 1-to-N DMA operation --- p.64Chapter 4.4.3.3 --- Merits and demerits of 1-to-N DMA --- p.67Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.68Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES OF SM3 --- p.70Chapter 5.1 --- The shared bus - VMEbus --- p.70Chapter 5.1.1 --- Why VMEbus --- p.70Chapter 5.1.2 --- Customizing the VMEbus --- p.71Chapter 5.2 --- The host machine --- p.71Chapter 5.3 --- Slave processor nodes --- p.72Chapter 5.3.1 --- Overview of a PN --- p.74Chapter 5.3.2 --- The MC68030 microprocessor --- p.77Chapter 5.3.3 --- The DMAC M68442 --- p.78Chapter 5.3.4 --- Registers --- p.79Chapter 5.3.5 --- Shared-bus interface --- p.80Chapter 5.3.6 --- Communication logic --- p.80Chapter 5.4 --- The MPC --- p.80Chapter 5.4.1 --- Overview of the MPC --- p.81Chapter 5.4.2 --- Registers --- p.81Chapter 5.4.3 --- Communication logic --- p.83Chapter 5.5 --- Protocol implementation --- p.84Chapter 5.5.1 --- Point-to-point messages --- p.84Chapter 5.5.2 --- Broadcast messages --- p.86Chapter 5.5.2.1 --- Circular buffer queue --- p.87Chapter 5.5.2.2 --- Participating entities --- p.87Chapter 5.5.2.3 --- Protocol details --- p.88Chapter 5.6 --- System start-up procedure --- p.94Chapter 5.6.1 --- Power up reset of PNs --- p.94Chapter 5.6.2 --- Initialization of the processor pool --- p.95Chapter 5.7 --- Summary --- p.95Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- APPLICATION EXAMPLES --- p.96Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.96Chapter 6.2 --- Matrix Multiplication --- p.96Chapter 6.3 --- Parallel Quicksort --- p.97Chapter 6.4 --- Pipeline Problems --- p.99Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- UNSOLVED PROBLEMS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT --- p.101Chapter 7.1 --- Current Status --- p.101Chapter 7.2 --- Possible immediate enhancements --- p.102Chapter 7.2.1 --- Enhancement to the PNs --- p.102Chapter 7.2.2 --- Enhancement of the MPC --- p.103Chapter 7.2.3 --- Communication kernel enhancement --- p.103Chapter 7.3 --- Limitation of a shared bus --- p.104Chapter 7.4 --- Number crunching capability --- p.105Chapter 7.5 --- Parallel programming environment --- p.105Chapter 7.5.1 --- Conform to serial language --- p.105Chapter 7.5.2 --- Moving to parallel programming languages --- p.106Chapter 7.5.2.1 --- Uni-processor Unix --- p.107Chapter 7.5.2.2 --- Porting Unix --- p.108Chapter 7.5.2.3 --- Multiprocessor Unix --- p.108Chapter 7.5.3 --- Object-oriented approach --- p.110Chapter 7.6 --- Summary --- p.112Chapter CHAPTER 8 --- CONCLUSION --- p.113Chapter 8.1 --- Thesis summary --- p.113Chapter 8.2 --- Author's comment --- p.114Chapter 8.3 --- Looking into the future --- p.116Chapter APPENDIX A --- BLOCK DIAGRAM --- p.117Chapter APPENDIX B --- CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS --- p.119Chapter APPENDIX C --- PCB LAYOUT --- p.126Chapter APPENDIX D --- VMEBUS ADDRESS MAP --- p.132Chapter APPENDIX E --- PROCESSOR NODE ADDRESS MAP --- p.133Chapter APPENDIX F --- REGISTER LAYOUT --- p.134Chapter F.1 --- Registers on a PN --- p.134Chapter F.2 --- Registers on the MPC --- p.134Chapter APPENDIX G --- PAL DESIGN --- p.136Chapter APPENDIX H --- COMMUNICATION SUB-BUS --- p.146Chapter H.1 --- Signal definition --- p.146Chapter H.2 --- Pin assignment --- p.146Chapter APPENDIX I --- FEASIBILITY OF TASK DISTRIBUTION PLAN --- p.147Chapter APPENDIX J --- COMMUNICATION PRIMITIVES --- p.148Chapter APPENDIX K --- PHOTOGRAPHS OF SM3 --- p.150Chapter APPENDIX L --- PROTOCOL STATE DIAGRAMS --- p.152Chapter L.1 --- Predefined partial state diagrams --- p.152Chapter L.2 --- Point-to-point messages --- p.152Chapter L.3 --- Broadcast messages --- p.154Chapter APPENDIX M --- BOOT-UP PROCEDURE OF SM3 --- p.159PUBLICATIONS --- p.161REFERENCES --- p.16