MPI-based Adaptive Parallel Grid Services

Abstract

This report presents the design and implementation of an adaptive MPI implmentation (adaptive-MPI) that allows an MPI application to adapt to respond to changing CPU availability. An adaptive MPI application can start sooner with fewer processors, opportunistically add processors later should they become available, and release processors to avoid suspension should the resource owner take them back. The behavior of adaptive-MPI is well-suited to the unpredictable and dynamic nature of the Grid. We presents results that indicate the systems overhead of adaptive MPI is small, and that performance benefits in terms of reduced waiting time and reduced completion time can be achieved relative to traditional MPI.