Parallel, multigrain iterative solvers for hiding network latencies on MPPs and networks of clusters
Parallel Computing - Parallel matrix algorithms and applications (PMAA '02)
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Clusters of homogeneous workstations built around fast networks have become popular means of solving scientific problems, and users often have access to several such clusters. Harnessing the collective power of these clusters to solve a single, challenging problem is desirable, but is often impeded by large inter-cluster network latencies and heterogeneity of different clusters. The complexity of these environments requires commensurate advances in parallel algorithm design.We support this thesis by utilizing two techniques: 1) multigrain, a novel algorithmic technique that induces coarse granularity to parallel iterative methods, providing tolerance for large communication latencies, and 2) an application-level load balancing technique applicable to a specific but important class of iterative methods. We implement both algorithmic techniques on the popular Jacobi-Davidson eigenvalue iterative solver. Our experiments on a Grid-like environment show that the combination of the two techniques enables effective use of heterogeneous, possibly distributed resources, that cannot be achieved by traditional implementations of the method.