Simulation for bulk synchronous parallel superstep task assignment in desktop grids characterised by gaussian parameter distributions

摘要

Abstract. Modern load distribution schemes for parallel task assignment often refer to parallel computers with shared memorynor dedicated clusters with local address spaces. For parallel computing performed on dedicated clusters, the communicationntopology between processors can be considered static. On dealing with the execution of parallel programs on desktop grids,nthe previous assumption will lead to inexact parameter determination for network cost due to the actual network topology beingndetermined not only by the hardware characteristics but also by the instantaneous bandwidth availability for the processes toncommunicate. The dynamic bandwidth depends not only on location, time and date, but also on the habits and behaviour ofnthe individual users of the computers that conform the grid environment and will lead to an inconstant network topology. Thisnpaper presents a novel simulator design which takes these factors into consideration for the BSP parallel computer model. Thensimulator is used as a performance evaluation tool for several case studies to point out variations in performance obtained fromndifferent task assignment strategies as the size of the desktop grid increases and the number of parallel threads changes