Patent ID: 6275845
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A collective communication apparatus in a multiprocessor system constituted by a plurality of processors connected by communication paths, said communication paths having various performance levels, comprising:(a) a processor group defining unit for defining sets of processors or previously decided master processors, which participate in program execution and which are connected by communication paths of equal performance levels when a multiprocessor program is executed, as processor groups in dependence upon the performance levels of the communication paths, and creating processor group lists on a per-performance level basis upon deciding a provisional master processor in any of the groups of processors;(b) a master-processor registration updating unit for updating the created processor group lists in such a manner that a root processor specified by a collective communication request will become a master processor;(c) a collective communication execution control unit for presenting the processor group lists in order of increasing performance, namely from lists of groups of processors connected by communication paths of lower performance to lists of groups of processors connected by communication paths of higher performance, if the collective communication request is a scatter request, and in order of decreasing performance, namely from lists of groups of processors connected by communication paths of higher performance to lists of groups of processors connected by communication paths of lower performance, if the collective communication request is a gather request; and(d) a list-referring collective communication execution unit for referring to the lists delivered from said collective communication execution control means and, if a processor containing said list-referring collective communication execution unit is included in any of the lists, performing collective communication with all processors included in the list.