Parallel prefix (scan) algorithms for MPI

Abstract

We describe and experimentally compare four theoretically well-known algorithms for the parallel prefix operation (scan, in MPI terms), and give a presumably novel, doubly-pipelined implementation of the in-order binary tree parallel prefix algorithm. Bidirectional interconnects can benefit from this implementation. We present results from a 32 node AMD Cluster with Myrinet 2000 and a 72-node SX-8 parallel vector system. The doubly-pipelined algorithm is more than a factor two faster than the straight-forward binomial-tree algorithm found in many MPI implementations. However, due to its small constant factors the simple, linear pipeline algorithm is preferable for systems with a moderate number of processors. We also discuss adapting the algorithms to clusters of SMP nodes. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.