Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!WEGA.CALTECH.EDU!parasoft From: parasoft@WEGA.CALTECH.EDU (Parasoft GmbH) Newsgroups: comp.sys.transputer Subject: (none) Message-ID: <8904052233.AA01067@wega.caltech.edu> Date: 5 Apr 89 22:33:24 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 182 ###### # # #### ##### ##### ## ##### # ###### # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # # # # ##### # ##### # # # ##### # ###### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #### # # # # # ##### ###### ###### ###### # # ## ##### ## # # ###### # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### # # # # # # # # ##### # # ###### ##### ###### # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ###### ###### ###### ###### ##### # # #### # # ##### # # ##### # # # #### # # # ## ## # # # # # # ## # # # # # # # ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ##### # # # # # # # # ### # # # # # # # # # # # # ## # # ##### #### # # # #### # # # # #### ParaSoft is pleased to announce that it has recently made available its comprehensive parallel processing system, Express, on Sun3, Sun4, Sun386-i, PC and Mac transputer platforms. The combination of these hosts, one or more RISC transputer boards and the Express operating environment make parallel programming both straightforward and worthwhile. Furthermore Express provides you with the flexibility to move between different types of parallel computers -- Express programs currently run on most transputer systems, NCUBEs, INTEL iPSCs and will soon be running on SYMULT machines. The Express computing environment, operating within the native Sun O/S DOS or Mac operating systems allows you access to the parallel processing power in a very straightforward way. Applications may operate in their own conventional manner taking advantage of the enhanced computing power of the transputer while still using the advanced facilities of the native operating system, suntools, Xwindows, etc.. Express provides ALL the tools needed for parallel programming * Low, intermediate and high level communication primitives. * Semi-automatic decomposing tools for regular problems. * Parallel I/O and operating system interface. * Embedded, device independent, graphics. * Multi-tasking -- load balancing capability. * NDB - a fully featured, source level debugger. * PM - performance analysis for parallel programs. Express ------- Until recently parallel processing suffered severe "image" problems -- it was thought to be too difficult. Furthermore the payoffs for many hours toil and tears weren't that great because parallel processors with real computing power weren't available. The transputer has solved the latter problem and Express solves the first. Express is a parallel computer "operating system" that lets you get the job done. It operates in a highly unintrusive manner which lets you take advantage of the (significant) native capabilities of the Sun or DOS operating systems while simultaneously providing all the tools necessary to construct, debug and analyze parallel programs. Internode Communication: The basic tool of all parallel programs, Express provides a multi-tiered system that lets you choose the most appropriate level of support for your application; Simple message send/receive primitives, double buffered message passing, interrupt handling, data broadcast, scatter/gather/combine operations......... IF you wish to keep code that already runs under Sun OS or DOS then Express allows you to treat the Sun as simply another node in the parallel processing network, albeit one with rather extraordinary capabilities. Alternatively you may run an entire application on one or more transputer nodes. I/O: Express provides fully parallel I/O from every transputer node. Several modes of operation are tailored to the needs of common algorithms and allow existing programs to run "intact" on the transputer nodes. Every processor has access to the operating system services of any host processor attached to the network. Graphics: As well as allowing you the freedom to use the normal Sun window environment Express also gives the transputer nodes the ability to generate their own, device independent, graphics output. The system is tailored to the needs of common algorithms and supports a wide variety of output devices: Sun windows, PostScript, Tektronix 4105, IBM EGA, etc.... Multitasking: Express provides an advanced multi-tasking system for the parallel computer nodes. Simply put, messages have the ability to transform themselves into tasks on receipt! The newly generated tasks then function completely independently and share all resources available to the node they live on. Multi-'host'-ing: If you feel limited by having only a few AT slots in your machine or you'd like to share your parallel computer resource with other users then connect them up! Express allows any number of inhomogeneous transputer products and hosts to be connected together and run as a single unit with multiple users simultaneously sharing access to the network. You can add dedicated hosts for graphics, disk access or just simply extra terminals and have one program send messages to any of the others. Debugging: NDB is a fully functioned source level debugger for programs running on the transputer network. Sharing the same command line interface as Sun's own dbx it is very easy to learn and invaluable for use. Set breakpoints in one or more transputer nodes, examine data, single step, look at message queues ....... NDB is the ONLY debugger that allows interactive access to the parallel computer. Before its development you worked in the dark, now you can see everything AS IT HAPPENS. Profiling: You just got your application running on the parallel computer so now what? Time it. Parallel processing is all about performance. PM is a tool designed to take the guesswork out of optimizing parallel programs by letting you see exactly what happens when your program runs. Three levels of profiling are provided to answer the following questions : Execution: How long am I spending in this routine? Where should I concentrate on my code? Communication: How much of the time is spent communicating rather than calculating? How 'efficient' is my parallel algorithm? Am I sending too many short messages? Event: Why is node 3 going so slowly? Who is holding it up and why? Is their some sort of sequential bottleneck in my algorithm? All this is available through a simple RUN-TIME switch. You don't even need to recompile anything!!!! Languages: Both C and Fortran are supported. Hardware: -------- Currently Express supports most of the Transputer hardware including: 1) INMOS B004, B008 AT boards 2) INMOS B011, B014 SUN boards 2) Microway, Definicon and CSA Transputer boards AT boards 3) Levco Macintosh boards 4) Topologix SUN boards 5) Meiko systems Express runs also on NCUBE, Intel IPSC and SYMULT parallel systems. We are currently porting Express to a wide variety of shared memory parallel computers. More Information: ---------------- If you'd like more information about either transputers or Express drop us a line or call +--+ +--- | | .--. .--. .--. | .--. .-- --- |--+ |__| |__| |__| +--+ | | |__ | | | | | \ | | | |__| | | | ---+ ParaSoft Corporation, 27415, Trabuco Circle Mission Viejo, CA 92692 Phone: (714)-380-9739 FAX : (714)-380-9739