CMSC 4818Z Midterm (Spring 1995)

1.) (6 points each) Define the following terms:

A. Parallel Computation

B. Owner Computes

C. SPMD

D. Critical Path Profile

E. The End-To-End Argument.

2.) (20 points) Why do we need to measure parallel programs rather than simply predicting their performance prior to execution?

3.) (50 points) The semantics of the programming model influences the types of features debuggers and performance measurement tools need to provide. Discuss the types of performance problems that can occur in PVM and HPF programs. What are the similarities and what are the differences?