Data Redistribution and Remote Method Invocation in Parallel Component Architectures

Abstract

With the increasing availability of high performance massively parallel computer systems, the prevalence of sophisticated scientific simulation has grown rapidly. The complexity of the scientific models being simulated has also evolved, leading to a variety of coupled multi-physics simulation codes. Such cooperating parallel programs require fundamentally new interaction capabilities, to efficiently exchange parallel data structures and collectively invoke methods across programs. So-called MxN research, as part of the Common Component Architecture (CCA) effort, addresses these special and challenging needs, to provide generalized interfaces and tools that support extensible parallel data redistribution and parallel remote method invocation. Using this technology, distinct simulation codes with disparate distributed data decompositions can work together to achieve greater scientific discoveries. Projects now using this approach include biological cell modeling, climate modeling, space weather, fluid-structure coupling, and fusion energy simulation.