Parallel Computer Architecture

10.5 Evaluating Design Trade-Offs in Network Topology 779

10.5 EVALUATING DESIGN TRADE-OFFS IN NETWORK TOPOLOGY

The

fc-ary

ci-cube provides a convenient framework for evaluating design alternatives

for direct networks. The design question can be posed in two ways. Given a choice

of dimension, the design of the switch is determined and we can ask how the

machine scales. Alternatively, for the machine scale of interest, that is, N = k , we

may ask what the best dimensionality is under salient cost constraints. We have the

2D torus at one extreme, the hypercube at the other, and a spectrum of networks

between. As with most aspects of architecture ...