Gottlieb This is a project to characterize and model the performance of a scalable shared memory computer. Ultracomputer uses a multistage interconnection network with hardware combining to provide high-bandwidth scalable connections between processors and memory. Ultra III, on which the work is being performed, uses Xilinx parts to implement most of the glue logic in the PEs (processing elements). These can act as programmable performance monitors at each processor. These tools are being used to evaluate the impact of combining on overall system performance, measure the performance of scientific applications, measure and compare alternative operating system designs, and construct mathematical models of parallel system behavior.
