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Message
From: markus at reaaliaika.net<markus@r...>
Date: Mon Aug 16 14:27:32 CEST 2004
Subject: [oc] Parallel Array Processor Project
> Seems to me Douglas Adams was on the right path with "Deep
> Thought" The answer is 42 .... but what is the question ?
;-D
> What is the problem you are trying to solve with your parallel
> array ?
Hmmh, well... The objectiveness for the project are:
1) To construct a cell design, which, when connected together to form
a regular pattern array, would form a general purpose parallel processor.
2) To construct programming tools (model, languages, OS) for
programming those cells to co-operatively solve computational problems,
like how to save your Word document to disk.
I haven't ever thought this at the point of problem-solution view, so I
have some difficultiness to form the objetiveness in that way. If I now
think the path, which led to this construction again, I could probably try
to form it like this: "The problem is to increase the speed of the general
purpose processors, in a permanent (i.e. scalable) way."
> The key seems to be to find a problem that a new technology solves.
> ie. what does my parallel array have to offer now that was not
> practical before.
OK, I'll try - compared to conventional processors, it tries to offer more
performance, achieved with parallelism. Compared to SMP systems, it
tries to offer scalability. In general, it tries to offer a cell design and
programming tools for processors constructed from an array of simple
processing units.
This was a good question, because it sets the target performance
metrics for the final design (if there ever is one) - the processor is
usable, when it can beat a SMP system in performance.
> You might look to see if there is any work on computational density
> and heat distribution in chips. Parallel Processing Arrays should
> have the advantage of distributing heat dissipation, across the
> chip. You also have the advantage of localising high speed
> computational routing to small cells on the chip rather
> than routing data across the whole chip.
The heat dissipation issue was something I haven't thought about. The
high speed issue is something I have already thought about - that's the
reason why I wouldn't like to use any kind of global buses inside the
array.
> To solve the distributed heat problem you need to look at how
> best to perform computational load balancing and the architecture
> of the parallel array best suited to implementing such a load
> balancing algorithm.
True, but I probably won't put a much effort for solving that at the
moment.
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