Multi-threading for Distributed Shared Memory Systems

• Main Authors: Jyh-Chang Ueng, 翁志昌
• Other Authors: Ce-Kuen Shieh
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/75109053685415923880

博士 === 國立成功大學 === 電機工程學系 === 88 === This dissertation investigates the support of multi-threading for DSM systems to improve programming flexibility, latency masking, thread migration, load balancing, and dynamic resource utilization. Several techniques are proposed to enhance the efficiency of multi-threading in addition to provide the basic facility of multi-threading. The methods include transparent programming model, affinity scheduling, and idle-reducing synchronization mechanisms. Furthermore, this thesis proposes a dependency-driven load balancing strategy for balancing workload among nodes. The dynamic resource utilization is also made possible by supporting dynamic node reconfiguration, which is based on thread migration. In addition to theory investigation, we have implemented a prototype multi-threaded DSM system called Cohesion that incorporates all of the proposed techniques. Some experiments have been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of multi-threading as well as the efficiency of the proposed techniques. The results show that employing the overlapping technique for multi-threading can improve the performance of applications to 18% in our testing programs. Moreover, our load balancing facility reduces processor idleness when the workload on each node of the system is unequal. The support of node reconfiguration achieves much improvement in performance when computers are dynamically added to the system.