Sheet 1- parallel computer architectures
A. Draw a model of:
1. UMA multiprocessors system.
2. NUMA multiprocessors system.
3. Symmetric multiprocessors system.
4. Shared distributed multi computers system.
5. MIMD machine.
6. SIMD machine.
B. Indicate whether each of the following statement true or false and justify your answer with reasoning:
1. SMP processors run a single copy of operating systems.
2. There is master- slave relationship between SMP processors.
3. SMP and computer clusters belong to SIMD parallel computing category.
4. MIMD computers contain multiple custom-designed processing nodes.
5. NUMA multiprocessors have equal access to all peripheral devices.
6. In programming NUMA, multiprocessors local and remote memories are distinguished.
7. Message passing multi computers are more scalable than shared memory multiprocessor.
8. Shared distributed memory multi computers are achieved by using special hardware.
9. In MIMD computer, all processors must execute the same instruction at the same time synchronously.
10. Concerning the programmability, shared memory multiprocessors offer simpler inter processor communication support than that offered by message-passing multi computers
11. Synchronization of all PEs in an SIMD computer is done by hardware rather than by software as is often done in most MIMD computers.
12. Number of processors in the SMP cannot usually be too large
C. Is it possible to construct a system physically that is a hybrid of a message passing multi computer and a shared memory multi processor? Discuss how this might be achieved and its relative advantages over a pure message passing system and a pure shared memory system.
D. What are the major differences between message-passing and shared-address-space computers? Outline the advantages and disadvantages of the two.
E. Why is it difficult to construct a true shared-memory computer? What is the minimum number of switches for connecting p...