The assignment of computational tasks among processors in a distributed system

The flexibility afforded by multiprocessor systems opens the question of how to assign computer program modules among functionally similar processors in a distributed computer network. In the model under consideration, the modules of a program are to be assigned among processors in such a way as to minimize interprocessor communication while taking advantage of affinities of certain modules to particular processors. The problem is formalized as a zero-one quadratic programming problem, and a solution is sought through an iterative technique that performs a series of transformations on an assignment matrix. Convergence to a locally optimum assignment is guaranteed, and an easily testable condition is given for which this local optimum is also a global optimum. An illustration of this algorithm is provided, results of performance experiments are reported, and suggestions are made for further study.

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