Parallel Computer Architecture

156 CHAPTER 3 Programming for Performance

Much of the focus in parallel architecture has in fact been on reducing communi-

cation cost as seen by the processor: by reducing communication overhead and delay

by increasing bandwidth and reducing occupancy and by providing mechanisms to

alleviate contention and overlap communication with computation or other commu-

nication. Many of the later chapters therefore devote a lot of attention to covering

these issues—including the design of node-to-network interfaces, communication

assists, and protocols that minimize both software and hardware overhead (Chapters

5 through 9); the design of network topologies ...