Design factors for parallel processing benchmarks

AbstractPerformance benchmarks should be embedded in comprehensive frameworks that suitably set their context of use. One universal framework appears beyond reach, since distinct architectural clusters are emerging with separate emphases. Large application benchmarks are most successful when they run well on a machine, and thereby demonstrate the economic compatibility of job and architecture. The present value of smaller benchmarks is diagnostic, although sets of them would encourage the parametric study of architectures and applications; an extended example illustrates this last aspect