Optimizations of client's side communications in a distributed file system within a Myrinet cluster

Abstract

High performance applications running on high-speed interconnects require both efficient communication between computing nodes and fast access to the storage system. Making the most of these networks to access remote files requires a good interaction between their highly specific software interface and the special requirements of distributed file systems. We show how non-buffered and buffered remote file access may be improved by modifying the network programming interface and firmware and by adding the required infrastructure in the operating system. Our modifications in Myrinet/GM show no performance penalty while the network usage in our ORFA (optimized remote file access) protocol is improved.