Parallel and Distributed Programming Using C++ (paperback)

by Hughes, Cameron; Hughes, Tracey

• ISBN13: 9780321544674
• ISBN10: 0321544676
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-08-25
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional

Summary

Parallel and Distributed Programming Using C++ provides an up-close look at how to build software that can take advantage of multiprocessor computers. Simple approaches for programming parallel virtual machines are presented, and the basics of cluster application development are explained. Through an easy-to-understand overview of multithreaded programming, this book also shows you how to write software components that work together over a network to solve problems and do work.

Parallel and Distributed Programming Using C++ provides an architectural approach to parallel programming for computer programmers, software developers, designers, researchers, and software architects. It will also be useful for computer science students.

• Demonstrates how agents and blackboards can be used to make parallel programming easier
• Shows object-oriented approaches to multitasking and multithreading
• Demonstrates how the UML is used to document designs that require parallel or distributed programming
• Contains the new POSIX/UNIX IEEE Standard for the Pthreads library

Author Biography

CAMERON HUGHES is a senior software engineer for CTEST Laboratories and a staff programmer/analyst at Youngstown State University. He has been involved in software development efforts of all sizes and is currently working in cluster programming of the Proteus V that involves NLP and knowledge representation modeling at CTEST and the Colony at Youngstown.

TRACEY HUGHES is a software engineer at CTEST, where she does graphics programming and simulation in C++ and develops image processing class libraries and virtual worlds.

Together they are the co-authors of numerous books including Linux Rapid Application Development and Object-Oriented Multithreading Using C++.

Table of Contents

Preface

The Joys of Concurrent Programming

What is Concurrency?

The Benefits of Parallel Programming

The Benefits of Distributed Programming

The Minimal Effort Required

The Basic Layers of Software Concurrency

No Keyword Support for Parallelism in C++

Programming Environments for Parallel and Distributed Programming

Summary-Toward Concurrency

The Challenges of Parallel and Distributed Programming

The Big Paradigm Shift

Coordination Challenges

Sometimes Hardware Fails and Software Quits

Too Much Parallelization or Distribution Can Have Negative Consequences

Selecting a Good Architecture Requires Research

Different Techniques for Testing and Debugging are Required

The Parallel or Distributed Design Must Be Communicated

Summary

Dividing C++ Programs into Multiple Tasks

Process: A Definition

Anatomy of a Process

Process States

Process Scheduling

Context Switching

Creating a Process

Terminating a Process

Process Resources

What are Asynchronous and Synchronous Processes?

Dividing the Program into Tasks

Summary

Dividing C++ Programs into Multiple Threads

Threads: A Definition

The Anatomy of a Thread

Thread Scheduling

Thread Resources

Thread Models

Introduction to the Pthread Library

The Anatomy of a Simple Threaded Program

Creating Threads

Managing Threads

Thread Safety and Libraries

Dividing Your Program into Multiple Threads

Summary

Synchronizing Concurrency between Tasks

Coordinating Order of Execution

Synchronizing Access to Data

What are Semaphores?

Synchronization: An Object-Oriented Approach

Summary

Adding Parallel Programming Capabilities to C++ through the PVM

The Classic Parallelism Models Supported by PVM

The PVM Library for C++

The Basic Mechanics of the PVM

Accessing Standard Input (stdin) and Standard Output (stdout) within PVM Tasks

Summary

Error Handling, Exceptions, and Software Reliability

What is Software Reliability?

Failures in Software Layers and Hardware Components

Definitions of Defects Depend on Software Specifications

Recognizing Where to Handle Defects versus Where to Handle Exceptions

Software Reliability: A Simple Plan

Using Map Objects in Error Handling

Exception Handling Mechanisms in C++

Event Diagrams, Logic Expressions, and Logic Diagrams

Summary

Distributed Object-Oriented Programming in C++

Decomposition and Encapsulation of the Work

Accessing Objects in Other Address Spaces

The Anatomy of a Basic CORBA Consumer

The Anatomy of a CORBA Producer

The Basic Blueprint of a

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.