Myrinet: A Gigabit-per-Second Local Area Network

  • Authors:
  • Nanette J. Boden;Danny Cohen;Robert E. Felderman;Alan E. Kulawik;Charles L. Seitz;Jakov N. Seizovic;Wen-King Su

  • Affiliations:
  • -;-;-;-;-;-;-

  • Venue:
  • IEEE Micro
  • Year:
  • 1995

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Abstract

Myrinet is a new type of local-area network (LAN) based on the technology used for packet communication and switching within "massively-parallel processors" (MPPs). Think of Myrinet as an MPP message-passing network that can span campus dimensions, rather than as a wide-area telecommunications network that is operating in close quarters. The technical steps toward making Myrinet a reality included the development of (1) robust, 25m communication channels with flow control, packet framing, and error control; (2) self-initializing, low-latency, cut-through switches; (3) host interfaces that can map the network, select routes, and translate from network addresses to routes, as well as handle packet traffic; and (4) streamlined host software that allows direct communication between user processes and the network.