Abstract

Massively parallel computers are necessarily distributed memory architectures (DMA), as only DMAs offer unlimited upward scalability. However, the usual programming model for DMAs, the message-passing paradigm, is too difficult to make such machines acceptable for a larger community of users. Therefore, easier high-level programming models are needed, in conjunction with parallelizing compilers. This will allow the user to formulate a parallel program in terms of application-specific concepts, while low-level issues such as optimal data distribution and coordination of the parallel threads is handled by the compiler. Specifically, the model must provide expressive means for defining explicitly all kinds of applicationspecific data structures, array-like or hierarchical, static or dynamic, regular or irregular. The paper describes such a model and programming system, called PROMOTER, and its underlying concepts. Experiences with a first implementation of PROMOTER are communicated. 1. IN...

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