A survey of techniques for recognizing parallel processable streams in computer programs

Abstract

State-of-the-art advances---in particular, anticipated advances generated by LSI---have given fresh impetus to research in the area of parallel processing. The motives for parallel processing include the following: 1. Real-time urgency. Parallel processing can increase the speed of computation beyond the limit imposed by technological limitations. 2. Reduction of turnaround time of high priority jobs. 3. Reduction of memory and time requirements for "housekeeping" chores. The simultaneous but properly interlocked operations of reading inputs into memory and error checking and editing can reduce the need for large intermediate storages or costly transfers between members in a storage hierarchy. 4. An increase in simultaneous service to many users. In the field of the computer utility, for example, periods of peak demand are difficult to predict. The availability of spare processors enables an installation to minimize the effects of these peak periods. In addition, in the event of a system failure, faster computational speeds permit service to be provided to more users before the failure occurs. 5. Improved performance in a uniprocessor multi-programmed environment. Even in a uniprocessor environment, parallel processable segments of high priority jobs can be overlapped so that when one segment is waiting for I/O, the processor can be computing its companion segment. Thus an overall speed up in execution is achieved.