An Overview of the Paradigm Compiler for Distributed-memory Multicomputers

Distributed-memory multicomputers such as the the Intel Paragon, the IBM SP-2, and the Thinking Machines CM-5 o er signi cant advantages over shared-memory multiprocessors in terms of cost and scalability. Unfortunately, extracting all the computational power from these machines requires users to write e cient software for them, which is a laborious process. The PARADIGM compiler project provides an automated means to parallelize programs, written using a serial programming model, for e cient execution on distributed-memory multicomputers. In addition to performing traditional compiler optimizations, PARADIGM is unique in that it addresses many other issues within a uni ed platform: automatic data distribution, communication optimizations, support for irregular computations, exploitation of functional and data parallelism, and multithreaded execution. This paper describes the techniques used and provides experimental evidence of their e ectiveness on the Intel Paragon, the IBM SP-1, and the Thinking Machines CM-5.