PDP Chapter 2: Parallel Platform Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is a characteristic of data-intensive applications in parallelism?

They prioritize low processing performance.

They require minimal memory bandwidth.

They utilize high aggregate throughput. (correct)

They mainly focus on single-thread execution.

Which term refers to the simultaneous execution of multiple instructions in the same cycle?

Very Large Instruction Window (VLIW)

Pipelining

Cache coherence

Instruction Level Parallelism (ILP) (correct)

What is the primary benefit of having higher levels of device integration in microprocessors?

Increased clock speeds without more transistors.

Reduction in memory bandwidth requirements.

The availability of more transistors for diverse functions. (correct)

The ability to execute a single instruction per cycle.

Which architecture serves as the foundation for conventional computing systems?

Von Neumann architecture Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary challenge posed by conventional architectures?

Performance bottlenecks in processors, memory, and datapath Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the goal of multiprocessing and multithreading?

To allow multiple threads to execute concurrently, improving resource utilization. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'cache coherence' refer to in parallel architecture?

Synchronizing access to shared data to avoid inconsistency. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is not a trend observed in microprocessor architecture?

Decreased capability for parallel instruction execution. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of cache in a computer system?

To provide fast access to frequently used data. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the organization of cache levels?

Higher-level caches are smaller, faster, and closer to the processor. Signup and view all the answers

What does temporal locality refer to in the context of cache?

The likelihood of needing the same data word again shortly. Signup and view all the answers

How is data typically transferred between cache and main memory?

On a block level or cache-line basis. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cache hit?

When the cache provides the requested data to the processor. Signup and view all the answers

In cache design, what is a block?

A group of continuous data words stored together. Signup and view all the answers

Which feature is NOT associated with higher-level caches?

They are larger than lower-level caches. Signup and view all the answers

What role does spatial locality play in cache usage?

It suggests that nearby data will likely be needed soon. Signup and view all the answers

What condition must be met for successful scheduling in superscalar processors?

All kinds of hazard detection and prevention are available. Signup and view all the answers

How does data dependence affect instruction execution?

It requires that dependent instructions be executed in order with potential partial overlap. Signup and view all the answers

What constitutes a data hazard between two instructions?

When there is a dependence that could lead to incorrect order of access. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'program order'?

The order of instructions in the original source code. Signup and view all the answers

What happens when instructions that are data dependent are executed simultaneously?

It may cause a stall due to hazard detection. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a situation where instructions can be executed without stalls?

When they execute in a pipeline of arbitrary depth. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to identify which instructions can be executed in parallel?

To effectively exploit instruction-level parallelism (ILP). Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT true regarding data dependence?

It guarantees that instructions can be fully overlapped during execution. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a cache miss?

Lower-level memory is accessed to retrieve the block. Signup and view all the answers

What does cache hit access time correspond to?

Processor speed Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of latency in a cache miss?

It determines the time to retrieve the first word of the block. Signup and view all the answers

What is context switching in a uniprocessor system?

Swapping in and out processes for execution. Signup and view all the answers

What is required to maintain the correct execution state during context switching?

Saving architecture variables known as process state. Signup and view all the answers

How did early 90’s OS designers enhance uniprocessor systems?

By introducing time-sharing for multitasking. Signup and view all the answers

What type of memory is accessed to get data during a cache miss?

Lower-level memory Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes cache bandwidth?

The rate at which the remaining words of a block can be retrieved. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary advantage of distributed-memory architecture?

It reduces the latency for accesses to the local memory. Signup and view all the answers

Which programming paradigm is primarily used in systems with a separate address space?

Message Passing Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of distributed-memory architecture?

It complicates data communication between processors. Signup and view all the answers

In a distributed-memory system, how is the address space structured?

Each processor has a unique and private address space. Signup and view all the answers

What role do libraries such as MPI and PVM play in distributed-memory architecture?

They provide communication primitives like send and receive. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a Message-Passing Multiprocessor?

Each processor functions independently with its own memory. Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic of distributed shared-memory (DSM)?

It allows processors to share memory directly. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the role of the interconnection network in a distributed-memory architecture?

It facilitates communication between individual processor nodes. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Implicit Parallelism in Microprocessor Architecture

Microprocessors have seen clock speed improvements of two to three orders of magnitude over the last two decades.
Higher device integration has resulted in many transistors, prompting the need for efficient resource utilization.
Current processors execute multiple instructions simultaneously by using various functional units, showcasing diverse architectural designs.

Scope of Parallelism

Conventional architectures have performance bottlenecks in processors, memory systems, and datapath.
Data-intensive applications prioritize high throughput; server applications emphasize network bandwidth; scientific applications require robust memory and processing performance.

Instruction Level Parallelism (ILP)

ILP requires analysis of instruction dependencies to identify parallel execution opportunities.
Independent instructions can execute simultaneously without stalls, while dependent instructions must follow a specific order.

Data Dependences and Hazards

Data dependencies prevent simultaneous execution of dependent instructions, resulting in data hazards.
A program's instruction sequence reflects source code dependencies, requiring preservation of program order during execution.

Cache Hierarchy

Cache serves as a fast storage layer closer to the processor compared to main memory, enhancing access speeds.
Cache is implemented in multiple levels, with higher-level caches being smaller and faster.

Cache Design

Data blocks consist of multiple continuous words; data transfer occurs on a block level.
Cache accesses and responses are categorized into cache hits (data found) and cache misses (data not found, requiring lower-level access).

Cache Operations

Cache hit timing matches processor speed; cache miss timing aligns with main memory speed, depending on both latency and bandwidth.

Multiprocessing and Multithreading

Contemporary uniprocessors support multitasking regimes where multiple processes share CPU time via time-sharing and context switching.
Context switching allows processes to run concurrently on a single processor by saving and restoring process states.

Distributed-Memory Architecture

Comprises individual nodes with their processors, memory, I/O, and interconnection networks connecting all nodes.
Advantages include cost-effective scaling of bandwidth and reduced latency for local memory access, but communication complexities arise between processors.

Communication Models in Distributed-Memory Systems

Message-Passing Multiprocessors operate with separate address spaces, ensuring disjoint memory locations for different processors.
Programming paradigms include message passing with libraries like MPI and PVM facilitating communication in distributed systems.

Summary of Cache Localities

Temporal locality suggests recently accessed data will be needed again soon, reinforcing cache effectiveness for frequently used data.
Spatial locality indicates that data close together in memory is likely to be accessed together, optimizing cache design and efficiency.

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Description

Test your knowledge on implicit parallelism, microprocessor architecture, and parallel processing concepts. This quiz covers Instruction Level Parallelism, multiprocessing, multithreading, and more within the field of computer science.