Christian G. Herter

Project Triton: towards improved programmability of parallel machines

The approach taken in the Triton project is to let a high-level machine-independent parallel programming language drive the design of parallel hardware. This approach permits machine-independent parallel programs to be compiled into efficient machine code. The main results are as follows: (1) The parallel programming language Modula-2* extends Modula-2 with constructs for expressing a wide range of parallel algorithms in a high-level, portable, and readable way. (2) Techniques are used for efficiently translating Modula-2* programs to several modern parallel architectures and deriving recommendations for future parallel machine architectures. (3) Triton/1 is a scalable, mixed-mode SIMD/MIMD parallel computer with a highly efficient communications network. It overcomes several deficiencies of current parallel hardware and adequately supports high-level parallel languages.<<ETX>>

Triton/1: A Massively-Parallel Mixed-Mode Computer Designed to Support High Level Languages

We present the architecture of Triton/l, a scalable, mixed-mode (SIMLI/MIMD) parallel computer. The novel features of l?riton/l are: Support for hi,gh-level, machine-independent programming lamguages; Fast SIMD/MIMD mode switching; Special hardw<are for barrier synchronization of multiple process groups;

Project Triton: towards improved programmability of parallel computers

The main objective of Project Triton is adequate programmability of massively parallel computers. This goal can be achieved by tightly coupling the design of programming languages and parallel hardware.