Title :
Virtual-channel flow control
Author :
Dally, William J.
Author_Institution :
Artificial Intelligence Lab., MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
Abstract :
Network throughput can be increased by dividing the buffer storage associated with each network channel into several virtual channels. Each physical channel is associated with several small queues, virtual channels, rather than a single deep queue. The virtual channels associated with one physical channel are allocated independently but compete with each other for physical bandwidth. Virtual channels decouple buffer resources from transmission resources. This decoupling allows active messages to pass blocked messages using network bandwidth that would otherwise be left idle. Simulation studies show that, given a fixed amount of buffer storage per link, virtual-channel flow control increases throughput by a factor of 3.5, approaching the capacity of the network
Keywords :
buffer storage; multiprocessor interconnection networks; scheduling; telecommunication channels; active messages; blocked messages; buffer resources; buffer storage per link; interconnection networks; network bandwidth; network channel; network throughput; throughput; transmission resources; virtual channels; virtual-channel flow control; Bandwidth; Buffer storage; Computer networks; Concurrent computing; Laboratories; Multiprocessor interconnection networks; Network topology; Resource management; Routing; Throughput;
Conference_Titel :
Computer Architecture, 1990. Proceedings., 17th Annual International Symposium on
Conference_Location :
Seattle, WA
Print_ISBN :
0-8186-2047-1
DOI :
10.1109/ISCA.1990.134508
