Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Supercomputer performance evaluation: Status and directions

  • Published:
The Journal of Supercomputing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Despite the increasing application of supercomputers to important problems in a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines, the process of measuring, evaluating, and predicting their performance is imprecise at best. To advance the science of supercomputer performance evaluation, measurements must be made in the context of defined models of architectures and applications. We present an overview of current practice in supercomputer performance evaluation, describe methods for characterizing applications and architectures, and point toward some approaches for accomplishing their pairing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams III, G. B., Brown, R. L. and Denning, P. J. 1985. On evaluating parallel computer systems. RIACS Technical Report 85.3, RIACS, NSAS/Ames (Sept.)

  • Amdahl, G. 1967. The validity of the single processor approach to achieving large scale computing capabilities. AFIPS Conf. Proc., 30, 483–485.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, D. H., and Barton, J. T. 1985. The NAS Kernel Benchmark Program. NASA Technical Memorandum 86711, NASA/Ames (Aug.).

  • Baudet, G. M. 1978. Asynchronous iterative methods for multiprocessors. JACM 25 (Apr.).

  • Chauvet, Y. 1985. Measured performances on vectorization and multitasking with a Monte Carlo Code for neutron transport problems. Comput. Physics Commun., 37, 281–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dongarra, J. J., and Duff, I. S. 1985. Advanced architecture computers. Technical Memorandum 57, Argonne National Laboratory (10 Oct.).

  • Dongarra, J. J., and Hinds, A. 1985. Comparison of Cray X-MP-4, Fujitsu VP-200, and Hitachi S-810/20: an Argonne perspective. Argonne National Laboratory Technical Report ANL-85-19 (Oct.).

  • Fernbach, S. 1984. Applications of supercomputers in the USA: today and tomorrow. In Supercomputers: Design and Applications. IEEE-CS, Los Alamitos, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, M. J. 1972. Some computer organizations and their effectiveness. IEEE Trans. Comput., C-21, 948–960.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hockney, R. W. 1985. (r ∞, n 1/2, s 1/2) measurements on the 2-CPU Cray X-MP. Parallel Comput., 2, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, K. 1985. Multiprocessor supercomputers for scientific/engineering applications. IEEE Comput., 18, 6 (June), 57–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kashiwagi H. 1984. The Japanese super-speed computer project. Future Generations Comput. Syst., 1, 3, 153–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koskela, R. 1985. System and workload performance measurements. Presentation to the Cray Users Group, Montreal (Oct.).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuck, D. J. 1978. The Structure of Computers and Computations, vol. 1. John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp. 316–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubeck, O., Moore, J., and Mendez, R. 1985. A benchmark comparison of three supercomputers: Fujitsu VP-200, Hitachi S-810/20, and Cray X-MP/2. Computer. 18, 12 (Dec.).

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J. L. 1983. Los Alamos National Laboratory computer benchmarking 1982. Los Alamos Technical Report LA-9698-MS (June).

  • McMahon, F. H. 1985. Mflops. In the preface to the listing of the Livermore Loops Program (Feb.).

  • Muller-Wichards, D., and Gentzsch, W. 1982. Performance comparisons among several parallel and vector computers on a set of fluid flow problems. DFVLR Technical Report IB 262-82 R01 (July).

  • Nelson, H. 1985. Using the performance monitors on the X-MP/48 Tentacle, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Sept.).

  • Report of the Panel on Large-Scale Computing in Science and Engineering. 1982. Sponsored by the DOD and NSF with the cooperation of NASA, P. D. Lax (ch.) (26 Dec.).

  • Riganati, J. P. and Schneck, P. B. 1984. Supercomputing. IEEE Comput., 17, 10 (Oct.). 97–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigue, G., et al. 1984. Large-scale scientific computation. In Supercomputers: Design and Applications. IEEE-CS, Los Alamitos, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sameh, A. 1986. Personal communication. University of Illinois (Mar.).

  • Uhr, L. 1984. On benchmarks: dynamically improving experimental comparisons. Computer Sciences Technical Report 571, University of Wisconsin Madison, (Dec.).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wienke, B. R. 1985. snex: semianalytic solution of the one-dimensional discrete ordinates transport equation with diamond differenced angular fluxes. Comput. Physics Commun., 38, 397–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worlton, J. 1984. Understanding supercomputer benchmarks. Datamation (1 Sept.), 121–130.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IBM TJ Watson Research Center, 10598, Yorktown Heights, NY, USA

    Joanne L. Martin

  2. German Aerospace Research Establishment (DFVLR), Bunsenstrasse 10, D-3400, Goettingen, FRG

    Dieter Mueller-Wichards

Authors
  1. Joanne L. Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dieter Mueller-Wichards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Work performed while on sabbatical at IBM T J Watson Research Center

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Martin, J.L., Mueller-Wichards, D. Supercomputer performance evaluation: Status and directions. J Supercomput 1, 87–104 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00138607

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00138607

Keywords

Search

Navigation