Dsm Overview

Computer and soft igh-speed networks and improved microprocessor performance are making networks of workstations an appealing vehicle for parallel computing. By relying solely on commodity hardware ware, networked workstations can offer parallel processing at a relatively low cost. Anetwork-of-workstations multiprocessor can be realized as a processor bank in which dedicated processors provide computing cycles, or it can consist of a dynamically varying set of machines that perform longrunning computations during idle periods. In the latter case, the hardware cost is essentially zero, since many organizations already have extensive workstation networks. In terms of performance, networked workstations approach or exceed supercomputer performance for some applications. These loosely coupled multiprocessors will by no means replace the more tightly coupled designs, which, because of lower latencies and higher bandwidths, are more efficient for applications with stringent synchronization and communication requirements. However, advances in networking technology and processor performance are expanding the class of applications that can be executed efficiently on networked workstations.