implicitly parallel programming models for thousand-core microprocessors
This paper argues for an implicitly parallel programming model for many-core microprocessors, and provides initial technical approaches towards this goal. In an implicitly parallel programming model, programmers maximize algorithm-level parallelism, express their parallel algorithms by asserting high-level properties on top of a traditional sequential programming language, and rely on parallelizing compilers and hardware support to perform parallel execution under the hood. In such a model, compilers and related tools require much more advanced program analysis capabilities and programmer assertions than what are currently available so that a comprehensive understanding of the input program's concurrency can be derived. Such an understanding is then used to drive automatic or interactive parallel code generation tools for a diverse set of parallel hardware organizations. The chip-level architecture and hardware should maintain parallel execution state in such a way that a strictly sequential execution state can always be derived for the purpose of verifying and debugging the program. We argue that implicitly parallel programming models are critical for addressing the software development crises and software scalability challenges for many-core microprocessors.
parallel programming parallel model paper programmer algorithm parallel algorithm assert programming language parallel compiler compilation hardware support tools program analysis capabilities understandability input concurrency drive interaction code generation organization architecture maintainability debugging critic software development software scalability challenge many core core