You are here

FAU Collections » FAU Research Repository » FAU Theses and Dissertations

heterogeneous multiprocessor architecture for workstations

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
1989
Summary:
Providing multiprocessor capability to the class of computers commonly referred to as personal workstations is the next evolutionary step in their development. Uniprocessor workstations limit the user in throughput, reliability, functionality, and architecture. Multiprocessor workstations have the potential of increasing system throughput. A multiprocessor system with expanded architecture derived from a set of heterogeneous processors gives the user a diverse application base within a single system. The replication and diversity offered in systems of this design, when coupled with fault-tolerant design techniques, enhances system reliability. A heterogeneous multiprocessor architecture is presented which combines loosely- and tightly-coupled configurations (multicomputer and multiprocessor). This architecture provides for incremental growth of the system, either by static or dynamic reconfiguration. The software view of the system is that of an object-oriented environment. The object-oriented approach is used to unify the heterogeneous nature of the system. The process is the unit of concurrency in the system and cooperating concurrent processes are supported. A set of system primitives are provided to support the requirements of a heterogeneous multiprocessing environment. A virtual machine layer controls the distribution of processes and allocation of resources in the system. A virtual network is used to provide communication paths and resource sharing. The virtual network is designed to be bridged to an external physical network. The system requirements for a secure and reliable operating environment are incorporated into the design. This system utilizes "hardware porting" as a means to overcome the lag of software support for hardware advances. Rather than software port an entire application base to a new system architecture, hardware porting brings the required instruction set architecture to the applications. This heterogeneous multiprocessor architecture builds on a popular system architecture, the scIBM PS/2 with the Micro Channel system bus. Incorporating a second bus, the scSCSI bus, as a system extension is explored.
Title: A heterogeneous multiprocessor architecture for workstations.
88 views
23 downloads
Name(s): Bealkowski, Richard.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Fernandez, Eduardo B., Thesis advisor
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1989
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 269 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Providing multiprocessor capability to the class of computers commonly referred to as personal workstations is the next evolutionary step in their development. Uniprocessor workstations limit the user in throughput, reliability, functionality, and architecture. Multiprocessor workstations have the potential of increasing system throughput. A multiprocessor system with expanded architecture derived from a set of heterogeneous processors gives the user a diverse application base within a single system. The replication and diversity offered in systems of this design, when coupled with fault-tolerant design techniques, enhances system reliability. A heterogeneous multiprocessor architecture is presented which combines loosely- and tightly-coupled configurations (multicomputer and multiprocessor). This architecture provides for incremental growth of the system, either by static or dynamic reconfiguration. The software view of the system is that of an object-oriented environment. The object-oriented approach is used to unify the heterogeneous nature of the system. The process is the unit of concurrency in the system and cooperating concurrent processes are supported. A set of system primitives are provided to support the requirements of a heterogeneous multiprocessing environment. A virtual machine layer controls the distribution of processes and allocation of resources in the system. A virtual network is used to provide communication paths and resource sharing. The virtual network is designed to be bridged to an external physical network. The system requirements for a secure and reliable operating environment are incorporated into the design. This system utilizes "hardware porting" as a means to overcome the lag of software support for hardware advances. Rather than software port an entire application base to a new system architecture, hardware porting brings the required instruction set architecture to the applications. This heterogeneous multiprocessor architecture builds on a popular system architecture, the scIBM PS/2 with the Micro Channel system bus. Incorporating a second bus, the scSCSI bus, as a system extension is explored.
Identifier: 12242 (digitool), FADT12242 (IID), fau:9148 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): College of Engineering and Computer Science
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1989.
Subject(s): Microcomputer workstations
Multiprocessors
Object-oriented programming (Computer science)
Computer architecture
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12242
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.