CSC/ECE 506 Fall 2007/wiki1 9 arubha

Array Processing is a computer architectural concept that was first put to use in the early 1960s. As scientific computing evolved, the need to process large amounts of data using a common algorithm became important. Computers with an array of processing elements (PEs), controlled by a common control unit (CU) were built. The PEs were usually ALUs, capable of performing simple mathematical operations. The CPU itself would perform the job of the CU.

As computer architectures evolved, a new concept called the Vector processing was developed during the 1970s. In vector processing, a PE usually consists of a collection of functional units that operate on vectors of data. This greatly simplifies the interconnections and reduces data dependency, compared to array processing.

Vector processors and array processors form the basic building blocks of some of the early and most successful supercomputers. Vector and array processing techniques are extensively used by applications like ocean mapping, 3D modeling, molecular modeling, weather forecasting, wind tunnel simulations. The Airbus A380 project made use of the NEC SX-5, scalable vector processor architecture supercomputers, to run simulations and fine tune the design even before the aircraft's maiden flight.

Bibliography

• Parallel computer architecture : a hardware/software approach / David E. Culler, Jaswinder Pal Singh, with Anoop Gupta. ISBN:1558603433