Overlapping Computations, Communications and I/O in parallel Sorting

Abstract In this paper, we present a new parallel sorting algorithm which maximizes the overlap between the disk, network, and CPU subsystems of a processing node. This algorithm is shown to be of similar complexity to known efficient sorting algorithms. The pipelining effect exploited by our algorithm should lead to higher levels of performance on distributed memory parallel processors. In order to achieve the best results using this strategy, the CPU, network, and disk operations must take comparable time. We suggest acceptable levels of system balance for sorting machines and analyze the performance of the sorting algorithm as system parameters vary.

[1]  Honesty C. Young,et al.  A Low Communication Sort Algorithm for a Parallel Database Machine , 1989, VLDB.

[2]  Jeffrey F. Naughton,et al.  Sampling Issues in Parallel Database Systems , 1992, EDBT.

[3]  Gregory V. Wilson,et al.  A glossary of parallel computing terminology , 1993, IEEE Parallel & Distributed Technology: Systems & Applications.

[4]  S. Lakshmivarahan,et al.  Parallel Sorting Algorithms , 1984, Adv. Comput..

[5]  Philip S. Yu,et al.  Effect of Skew on Join Performance in Parallel Architectures , 1988, Proceedings [1988] International Symposium on Databases in Parallel and Distributed Systems.

[6]  Guy E. Blelloch,et al.  A comparison of sorting algorithms for the connection machine CM-2 , 1991, SPAA '91.

[7]  David J. DeWitt,et al.  Parallel sorting on a shared-nothing architecture using probabilistic splitting , 1991, [1991] Proceedings of the First International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Information Systems.

[8]  E T. Leighton,et al.  Introduction to parallel algorithms and architectures , 1991 .

[9]  Michael J. Quinn.  Parallel sorting algorithms for tightly coupled multiprocessors , 1988, Parallel Comput..

[10]  David J. Evans.  A parallel sorting-merging algorithm for tightly coupled multiprocessors , 1990, Parallel Comput..

[11]  David A. Patterson,et al.  Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach , 1969 .

[12]  Jonathan Schaeffer,et al.  Parallel Sorting by Regular Sampling , 1992, J. Parallel Distributed Comput..