Memory channel network for PCI

A memory-based networking approach provides clusters of computers up to 1,000 times the communication performance of conventional networks, with no compromise in cost or reliability. The memory channel for PCI´s performance gains are the result of a system design approach that exploits natural cluster constraints to define a memory-based network. MC implements a form of virtual shared memory that permits applications to completely bypass the operating system and perform cluster communication directly from the user level. The hardware´s simple and powerful communication model supports error handling at almost no cost or complexity to the application; guaranteed ordering under errors is the key innovation. The end result: Real-world cluster communication latency dropped by up to two orders of magnitude, and overhead by up to three orders of magnitude. These improvements elevate a lowly set of standard PCI computers running Unix into an impressive, highly available, parallel computing system