Programming tools for distributed multiprocessor computing environments

Abstract With the increasing availability of multiprocessor platforms based on different types of architectures (shared memory, distributed memory, network based), users will be increasingly faced with heterogeneous and distributed multiprocessor computing facilities. Programming environment concepts have to be found which enable the user to program and use these heterogeneous computing resources, consisting of different multiprocessor architectures, in a transparent manner. Topics which have to be addressed and tools which have to be developed are parallel programming models, monitoring systems, debuggers, performance analyzers, animation systems and dynamic load-balancing schemes. The paper describes the integrated tool environment TOPSYS (TOols for Parallel SYStems), available for the iPSC/2 and iPSC/860 hypercube, as well as its adaptation to a network of UNIX-based workstations.