A quantitative approach for teaching parallel computing

Abstract

Parallel computing teaching has an important difficulty, there are few tools to directly learn the behavior of the parallel algorithms and the parallel architectures. Normally the student is formed to think in sequential algorithms running in sequential machines. We present PSEE, a tool to reduce the gap between the basic concepts and its utilization. PSEE is an integrated and interactive graphic environment which allows to simulate and evaluate the performance of parallel algorithms in parallel architectures. PSEE permits to manage the main characteristic parameters involved in the system in order to show the tuning grade of the algorithm/architecture couple. PSEE includes a graphic editor for algorithms and architectures in modelled form, an interactive simulator to run 1992 the algorithm on the architecture and a performance evaluation instrument. © 1992, ACM. All rights reserved.