Discusses the advantages of computing with heterogeneous parallel machines, and examines the research challenges for automating the use of such systems. One type of heterogeneous computing system is a mixed-mode machine, where a single machine can operate in different modes of parallelism. Another is a mixed-machine system, where a suite of different kinds of parallel machines are interconnected by high-speed links. To exploit such systems, a task must be decomposed into subtasks, where each subtask is computationally homogeneous. The subtasks are then assigned to and executed with the machines (or modes) that will result in a minimal overall execution time. Typically, users must specify this decomposition and assignment. One long-term pursuit in heterogeneous computing is to do this automatically. An overview of a conceptual model of what this involves is given. As an example of the research in this area, a genetic-algorithm-based approach to the subtask assignment and scheduling problem is explored. Open problems in heterogeneous computing are described.
['Howard Jay Siegel', 'Lee Wang', 'Vwani P. Roychowdhury', 'Min Tan']
Computing with heterogeneous parallel machines: advantages and challenges