SP2 SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

Scalable parallel systems are increasingly being used today to address existing and emerging application areas that require performance leve ls significantly beyond what symmetric multiprocessors are capable of providing. These areas include traditional technical computing applica tions, commercial computing applications such as decision support and transaction processing, and emerging areas such as ''grand challenge'' applications, digital libraries, and video production and distributio n. The ISM Sp2(TM) is a general-purpose scalable parallel system desig ned to address a wide range of these applications. This paper gives an overview of the architecture and structure of SP2, discusses the rati onale for the significant system design decisions that were made, indi cates the extent to which key objectives were met, and identifies futu re system challenges and advanced technology development areas.