Bulk Synchronous Parallel ML: Modular implementation and performance prediction

Abstract

BSML is a library for parallel programming with the functional language Objective Caml. It is based on an extension of the λ-calculus by parallel operations on a parallel data structure named parallel vector. The execution time can be estimated, dead-locks and indeterminism are avoided. Programs are written as usual functional programs (in Objective Caml) but using a small set of additional functions. Provided functions are used to access the parameters of the parallel machine and to create and operate on parallel vectors. It follows the execution and cost model of the Bulk Synchronous Parallel model. The paper presents the lastest implementation of this library and experiments of performance prediction. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.