Table of Contents
From Commercial Supercomputer to Homebrew Supercomputer
What is a Supercomputer?
Basic Taxonomy of Supercomputers
Making Sequential Computers Fast
Parallel Supercomputers
Shared memory multiprocessors - Bus
Shared memory multiprocessors -Switched
Private Memory Multicomputer Interconnects
Homebrew Supercomputers
Examples of Homebrew Supercomputers
DAS = Distributed ASCI Supercomputer
History of DAS (Distributed ASCI Supercomputer)
Goals of the DAS Project
Criteria for Choosing the Components
Areas of Choice
Criteria for the CPU Choice
CPU Choice
Criteria for the Internal Interconnect Choice
Latency of Fast Ethernet, ATM, Myrinet
Throughput of Fast Ethernet, ATM, Myrinet
Internal Interconnect Choice
Internal Interconnect (continued)
Myrinet Technical Description
Myrinet Switching
Wide-Area Networking (Between the 4 sites)
ATM in a Nutshell
File System Machine
System Architecture
Vendor Competition
DAS Processing Element from Parsytec
The temporary DAS cluster at the VU
Criteria for the Choice of the Operating System
Operating Systems are like Religions
Artist’s Rendition of the First OS Discussion
Artist’s Rendition of the Second OS Discussion
Some (Highly Subjective) Comments on Each OS
BSD/OS was Chosen after a Long Discussion
Software for DAS
Software Issues for High Performance
Programming Languages Available
Scheduling
Some New Research Possibilities
A Few Possible Applications
Status of DAS
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