Design, implementation and evaluation of an abstract programming and communications interface for a network of transputers

Abstract

This thesis presents the design, implementation and evaluation of two abstracted programming and communication interfaces for developing distributed programs on a network of Transputers. One interface uses a shared memory model for interprocess communication and synchronization. The other interface uses a message passing model for communication and synchronization. The programming interfaces allow development of distributed programs that are independent of the physical configuration of a network. This thesis also presents an evaluation of Transputer performance with a particular emphasis on the interaction of computation and inter-Transputer communication. The Transputer is a single chip microprocessor that has been specifically designed to function as a computing element in a distributed multicomputer system. As the transistor was a building block for large and varied electronic circuits, the Transputer is intended by the manufacturer to be an analogous building block for distributed computing systems. To facilitate the use of the Transputer as an element in a distributed system, the Transputer implements the concept of Communicating Sequential Processes. Communicating Sequential Processes is a paradigm which defines and describes the interaction of programs that execute in parallel (as is the case in a distributed system). Keywords: OCCAM programming language, High level languages. (KR)