A simple multiprocessor management system for event-parallel computing

Offline software using Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) sockets to distribute particle physics events to multiple UNIX/RISC workstations is described. A modular, building block approach was taken that allowed tailoring to solve specific tasks efficiently and simply as they arose. The modest, initial cost was having to learn about sockets for interprocess communication. This multiprocessor management software has been used to control the reconstruction of eight billion raw data events from Fermilab Experiment E791.