Critical Globus-enabled Implementation of the MPI-2 Standard

Northern Illinois University, Dekalb IL

Investigators

Abstract

This project improves on MPICH-G2, an implementation of the MPI v1.1 standard delivering MPI application-level middleware functionality based on the popular MPICH library. MPICH-G2 is the only MPI that is built on top of Globus Toolkit services and is the only MPICH-based implementation that supports a vendor-supplied MPI as a low-level transport method for intra-machine or intra-cluster messaging. MPICH-G2 relies on two software projects, the Globus Toolkit and MPICH library, both of which have recently undergone significant revisions. Globus developers are implementing their next-generation software, the Globus Toolkit 3.0 (GT3), based on the integration of Grid services from their current Globus Toolkit 2.0 (GT2) and Web services concepts and technologies. This project will augment GT3 by adding the multi-site startup functionality and bootstrap message passing libraries found in GT2 but not yet brought forward to GT3. Support for dynamic process creation and management introduced by the MPI-2 standard will also be investigated. These activities will bring GT3 to a minimum level of utility as required by MPICH-G2. The project will also collaborate with the MPICH group in the design of ADI-3 by investigating the unique challenges associated with supporting a vendor-supplied MPI as one of the low-level transport methods that has not yet been addressed. The project will incorporate the additions to GT3 and the new ADI-3 design to render a high-quality and uniquely Globus-enabled implementation of the MPI-2 standard. The Intellectual Merit of this project is embodied in the investigation of the unique challenges presented by supporting vendor-supplied MPI, and by investigating issues surrounding the support of the dynamic process creation and management introduced by the MPI-2 Standard. The Broader Impact of this work will be realized by MPI application developers because the proposed activities will significantly increase the utility of MPICH-G2 as an effective middleware tool.