Mathematics of Computing -- Parallelism.

Mathematics of Computing -- Parallelism.

Programming is now parallel programming. Much as structured programming revolutionized traditional serial programming decades ago, a new kind of structured programming, based on patterns, is relevant to parallel programming today. Parallel computing experts and industry insiders Michael McCool, Arch Robison, and James Reinders describe how to design and implement maintainable and efficient parallel algorithms using a pattern-based approach. They present both theory and practice, and give detailed concrete examples using multiple programming models. Examples are primarily given using two of the most popular and cutting edge programming models for parallel programming: Threading Building Blocks, and Cilk Plus. These architecture-independent models enable easy integration into existing applications, preserve investments in existing code, and speed the development of parallel applications. Examples from realistic contexts illustrate patterns and themes in parallel algorithm design that are widely applicable regardless of implementation technology. The patterns-based approach offers structure and insight that developers can apply to a variety of parallel programming models Develops a composable, structured, scalable, and machine-independent approach to parallel computing Includes detailed examples in both Cilk Plus and the latest Threading Building Blocks, which support a wide variety of computers

This textbook is a concise introduction to the basic toolbox of structures that allow efficient organization and retrieval of data, key algorithms for problems on graphs, and generic techniques for modeling, understanding, and solving algorithmic problems. The authors aim for a balance between simplicity and efficiency, between theory and practice, and between classical results and the forefront of research. Individual chapters cover arrays and linked lists, hash tables and associative arrays, sorting and selection, priority queues, sorted sequences, graph representation, graph traversal, shortest paths, minimum spanning trees, optimization, collective communication and computation, and load balancing. The authors also discuss important issues such as algorithm engineering, memory hierarchies, algorithm libraries, and certifying algorithms. Moving beyond the sequential algorithms and data structures of the earlier related title, this book takes into account the paradigm shift towards the parallel processing required to solve modern performance-critical applications and how this impacts on the teaching of algorithms. The book is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students and professionals familiar with programming and basic mathematical language. Most chapters have the same basic structure: the authors discuss a problem as it occurs in a real-life situation, they illustrate the most important applications, and then they introduce simple solutions as informally as possible and as formally as necessary so the reader really understands the issues at hand. As they move to more advanced and optional issues, their approach gradually leads to a more mathematical treatment, including theorems and proofs. The book includes many examples, pictures, informal explanations, and exercises, and the implementation notes introduce clean, efficient implementations in languages such as C++ and Java.

Motivation It is now possible to build powerful single-processor and multiprocessor systems and use them efficiently for data processing, which has seen an explosive ex pansion in many areas of computer science and engineering. One approach to meeting the performance requirements of the applications has been to utilize the most powerful single-processor system that is available. When such a system does not provide the performance requirements, pipelined and parallel process ing structures can be employed. The concept of parallel processing is a depar ture from sequential processing. In sequential computation one processor is in volved and performs one operation at a time. On the other hand, in parallel computation several processors cooperate to solve a problem, which reduces computing time because several operations can be carried out simultaneously. Using several processors that work together on a given computation illustrates a new paradigm in computer problem solving which is completely different from sequential processing. From the practical point of view, this provides sufficient justification to investigate the concept of parallel processing and related issues, such as parallel algorithms. Parallel processing involves utilizing several factors, such as parallel architectures, parallel algorithms, parallel programming lan guages and performance analysis, which are strongly interrelated. In general, four steps are involved in performing a computational problem in parallel. The first step is to understand the nature of computations in the specific application domain.

Focusing on algorithms for distributed-memory parallel architectures, Parallel Algorithms presents a rigorous yet accessible treatment of theoretical models of parallel computation, parallel algorithm design for homogeneous and heterogeneous platforms, complexity and performance analysis, and essential notions of scheduling. The book extract