Multi-model parallel programming in psyche

• DOI: 10.1145/99163.99172
• Publication Date: 2004-02-03T12:50:25Z
• Authors: M. L. Scott; T. J. LeBlanc; B. D. Marsh
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 01 natural sciences

Many different parallel programming models, including lightweight processes that communicate with shared memory and heavyweight processes that communicate with messages, have been used to implement parallel applications. Unfortunately, operating systems and languages designed for parallel programming typically support only one model. Multi-model parallel programming is the simultaneous use of several different models, both across programs and within a single program. This paper describes multi-model parallel programming in the Psyche multiprocessor operating system. We explain why multi-model programming is desirable and present an operating system interface designed to support it. Through a series of three examples, we illustrate how the Psyche operating system supports different models of parallelism and how the different models are able to interact.