PQE HPF-a library for exploiting the capabilities of a PQE-1 heterogeneous parallel architecture

Heterogeneous Computing is a special form of parallel and distributed computing where computations are performed using a single autonomous computer operating in both SIMD and MIMD modes, or using a number of connected autonomous computers. In Multimode System Heterogeneous Computing, tasks can be executed in both SIMD and MIMD simultaneously. In this paper we present PQE HPF, an HPF-based programming library which allows to exploit the MIMD and SIMD capabilities offered by PQE-1, a Multimode Parallel Architecture. Two different implementations of a well-known application using HPF and PQE HPF respectively were used to evaluate the overheads introduced over the machine’s runtime system. Preliminary tests conducted by running the case study application on the first PQE-1 prototype show good results and encourage to dedicate more efforts to implement real production parallel codes on a similar architecture.