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The MasPar MP-2.

Machine type: Processor array.

Models: MP2201, MP2202, MP2204, MP2208, MP2216.

Front-end: DECstation 5000 or DEC VAX.

Operating system: Internal OS transparent to the user, Ultrix or VMS on front-end.

Connection structure: 2-D mesh, crossbar (see remarks).

Compilers: MPL: (C with extensions), MPF: (Fortran 90-like with extensions).

System parameters:

tabular169

Remarks: Apart from being roughly 2.5 times faster than the MasPar MP-1 (3.2.4), there is little difference between the MP-2 and the MP-1. The gain in speed relative to the MP-1 is accomplished by using a processor with a higher degree of bit-parallelism. This resulted in a higher performance at the expense of the number of data formats: only 32-bit and 64-bit data are allowed on the MP-2.

MasPar will market both the MP-1 and MP-2. In the view of the company there is a market for both. With a fixed budget one can make a choice for a system with larger memory, but slower or a faster system with a smaller memory.

Software and tools are exactly the same for both types of machines.

Measured Performances: In [#linpackbm##1#] a speed of 1.6 Gflop/s was reported for a 16,384 processor machine in solving a 11,264 order full linear system.



Jack Dongarra
Sat Feb 10 15:12:38 EST 1996