Efficient algorithms for conservative parallel simulation of interconnection networks

Abstract

This paper addresses the use of parallel simulation techniques to speedup the simulation of multistage interconnection networks. The conventional null-message approach to resolving deadlock problem in conservative simulation is based on a lookahead mechanism. For some application domains, unfortunately, the lookahead information is not available. Consequently, the simulation using null messages will be trapped in a livelock. We propose a deadlock/livelock free scheme using null messages, but without the guaranteed lookahead, to coordinate the simulation, and different partitioning techniques for mapping of the simulation program onto multicomputers. A flushing mechanism to address the combinatoric explosion of using null-message in conservative simulation is also discussed. Our analysis shows that the proposed flushing mechanism effectively reduces the number of null messages from exponential to linear.